F 104 
.H16 
H16 

^°p^ 1 3ne Hundred 



AND Fiftieth 

Anniversary 



Hadlyme 
Congregational Church 

June 26, 1895 



Hartford, Conn 

ELIHU GEER'S SONS, Printers 

1896 



\ 






■'1 



1745=1895. 



THE 

One Hundred and Fiftieth 
Anniversary 

OF THE ORGANIZATION OF THE 

Third Church of Christ, 

OP 

HADLYME SOCIETY, 

(East Haddam, Conn.) 

Wednesday, June 26th, 1895. 



Hartford, Conn. 

ELIHU GEER'S SONS, Printers, i6 State Street. 

i8q6. 






^^sy^ 



ti 



OLD CHURCH. BUILT 1743. 




» I 

n I 






4 



NEW OR PRESENT CHURCH. BUILT 1040. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The exercises at the Celebration of the One Hundred 
and Fiftieth Anniversary of the Hadlyme Congregational 
Church being- of so interesting a character and so full of his- 
toric interest, and the Messrs. Elihu Geer's Sons having kindly 
volunteered to publish the same, the order of exercises and 
remarks of the speakers on that occasion are herewith pre- 
sented to the public. 

In addition to the addresses which appear it should be stated 
that the music on that occasion, imder the superintendance of 
Dea. Silas R. Holmes, who, for fifty years has with his family 
conducted the music of the church, was exceptionably good, 
and the anthem which was sung at the dedication of the pres- 
ent church in 1842, was rendered with excellent effect. The 
voices were accompanied by the cabinet organ played by Miss 
Annie M. Holmes, and an orchestra consisting of two violins, 
double bass viol, flute and clarionet. The first violin was 
played by Deacon Holmes; second by S. S. Brooks; double 
bass viol by Mrs. S. S. Brooks; flute by J. E. Smith, and 
clarionet by D wight Phelps. (Mr. and Mrs. Brooks and Mr. 
Smith reside in Chester. ) 

A bountiful repast was provided by the ladies of Hadlyme, 
and served upon the pleasant grounds of Richard E. Hunger- 
ford, adjoining the church. 

Judge Hiram Willey presided, and the programme was car- 
ried out in every particular, except that Rev. F. P. Waters, a 
former pastor, was not present, and his place was supplied by 
Judge George M. Carrington of Winsted. 

Hiram Willey. 



ORDER OF SERVICE. 



Morning— 10.30 o'clock. 

Voluntary— Quartet— "Nicea." Sung by Miss Nellie Sel'den, (Sop.), Miss Ella 
Griffin, (Alto), Mr. A. Mitchel (Ten.), and Mr. S. R. Holmes (Bass). 

Invocation Rev. G. L. Edwards. 

Reading the Scriptures- Deut. 31: 9-13; Lev. 25: 8-13, and Psalms 103, 

Rev. Francis Parker. 

PRAYER Rev. E. F. Burr, D. D. 

SINGING -"OrtonviUe." (Church Hymn Book, No. 528, 

j Laudes Domini, No. 202. 

Address of Welcome, by the Pastor, Rev. F. E. Delzell. 

SiNGiNG-"Lenox," j Church Hymn Book, No. 591, 

( Laudes Domini, No. 271. 
Historical Paper, by Dea. S. R. Holmes. 

SINGING -"Webb," I Church Hymn Book, No. x,og. 

I Laudes Dommi, No. 558. 
Address, by Rev. A. S. Chesebrough, D. D. 

r,,-,_,„^ uT • T-- J .. \ Church Hvmn Book, No. 767, 

Singing- "Lovmg kmdness, {^ , ^" . ' "• /^/i 

/ Lavtdes Dommi, No. 269. 



JLixnsrcH. 

afternoon— 2 o'clock. 
Voluntary — Duet, "Jesus Lover of My Soul," Sung by Miss Lizzie Phelps (Sop.) 

and Mrs. E. C. Hedges (Alto). 
Singing — Anthem — "Denmark." Sung at the dedication of this Meeting House. 
Biographical Paper, by Judge Hiram Willey. 

Addresses, by Dea. E. C. Hungerford, Judge George M. Carrington, (in place of 
Rev. F. P. Waters) and Rev. E. E. Lewis. 

Singing- "Portuguese Hymn," (Church Hymn Book, No. ggo, 

I Laudes Domini, No. 343. 
Addresses, by Rev. E. F. Burr, D. D. and Rev. A. Hall. 

Singing — "Boylston," (Church Hymn Book, No. 1177^ 

I Laudes Domini, No. 505. 

Prayer, by the Pastor, Rev. F. E. Delzell. 

Doxology — "Praise God from whom all blessings flow." 
Benediction. 



HADLYME CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 1 50th ANNIVERSARY. 



ADDRESS BY DEACON SILAS R. HOLMES. 



Mr Chairman. Brethren, Sisters and Friends : 

We have met here to-day to recall to mind, and to celebrate an event 
which took place one hundred and fifty years ago. An event, ^^hlch m 
s results, has had a most important influence upon th:s -mmumty^ 
Did we n^ed an apology for the observance of this occasion, we would 
turn to the history of God's chosen people, who were commanded by 
Him to observe certain times and seasons for the --^ruction o the^ 
children and strangers in the history of the ^-'fl, "X^^.!^^ 
holidays and especially to observe the year of Jubilee. The trumpet 
soundTd out at the beginning of every 50th year a proc amation of 
'oLrty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof. A 
velr when "every man should return unto his possessions, and every man 
unto lis "amily." What a glorious thanksgiving season, lasting through- 
ou th I^ole year. With what pyous anticipations must that nation 
hale looked forward to and longed for this time of reunicr^ this gath- 
erTg home; this time when all hearts should go out together m 3oyful 
prafe for past mercies and unite in prayer for future prosperity and 
b e ings ?t seems most fitting tor us as a church, on this first day of 
^he W Jubilee year, in its history, to turn aside from our ordinaiy 
ocuXsnd -call the past. Not only for our own edification and 
rprovement but for the edification and instruction of or.r Mh en 
a7well The word of the Lord came to Joel, the Prophet -Hear tins 
le /i;. J and give ear all ye inhabitants of the land. Hath this been m 
vour davs or even in the days of your fathers ? Tell ye your children of it 
and let you children tell their children and their children another genera- 
ti^t C I I 3- The Ecclesiastical society connected with this church, 
aml'wMch 'is to the church as a body to the soul, and from the records 
: l; h I must draw largely, was organized and its boundaries "fixed 
and defined by the legislature of the state m the year 174- Three >ears 
before the church was organized. >• A tt 1 General 

The first entry in the records of the society reads: Att a Geneial 
Xssemb Iv holden at New Haven on the 14th day of October A. D. 1742, 
unrthe melrialof Isaac Willey, Stephen ScoviU, John Comstock and 
upon the memo Haddam, and the sd society m 



6 HADLYME CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 150th ANNIVERSARY. 

mittee thereon to this assembly in their present session, proposing that the 
memorialists be formed into a distinct society for carrying on ye worship of 
God amongst themselves, according to ye bounds and limits therein speci- 
fied." Here follows the bounds and limits, which may be summarized by 
commencing about 2% miles north of this church, from thence south about 
five miles, and from the river east about three miles, embracing about the 
same amount of territory in the town of East Haddam as in the town of 
Lyme; in Middlesex county as in the county of New London. 

The first meeting of the new society was warned by a warrant signed 
by Samuel Lynde, "assistant," and dated at Saybrook, issued in His 
Majesty's name, warning all the inhabitants of the parish living within the 
boundaries set forth "to meet for the choice of officers at the dwelling 
hou.se of Christopher Holmes, on Wednesday, ye loth of November, 1742." 
The meeting so warned met and appointed Serg't John Willey, Capt. 
John Hungerford and Lieut. John Comstock for their committee. This 
meeting then adjourned to the 17th inst., when they voted to send for Mr. 
Moses Mather to come and be their minister. Lieut. John Comstock was 
chosen to "treet" with Mr. Mather to come and be their minister. "Att 
the same meeting Lieut. John Comstock, Samuel Dutton and Abel 
Willey was then and there chosen a committee, in case Mr. Mather could 
not be obtained to git any other minister that said committee think fitt." 
"Att the same meeting Samuel Dutton was then and there chosen to tune 
the psalm on the Sabbath in said society." 

You will notice that these good fathers manifested at once their desire 
to establish regular Sabbath service in their midst, proceeding to the busi- 
ness without delay; but they seem to have met with little success till 
about the time of the organization of the church. "Att the same meeting 
it was then and there voted that the Rev. Mr. Hosmer (E. H.) and the 
Rev. Mr. Beckwith (Lyme) should have the liberty to preach, each of them, 
one lecture in said society." Second meeting — "Att a meeting holden the 
9th of Dec. 1742, it was then and there voted that they would proceed in 
building a meeting house. Att the same meeting it was then and there 
voted that Samuel Dutton, Isaac Willey, Alan Willey, Thomas Holmes 
and Edward Church should be a committee to oversee and carry on ye 
work of building ye meeting house. Att the same meeting it was then and 
there voted that ye meeting house, which said society have agreed to build, 
shall be in length forty and six foot, and in width it shall be thirty and 
five foot, and that ye posts of said house shall be twenty foot long. Att 
ye same meeting it was then and there voted that the place for the meeting 
house to stand upon should be on the nole west of Job Beckwith's house. 
It was also voted and agreed upon that the meeting house timber shall bee^ 
drawed together on the hill by Job Beckwith's house in order to frame." 

"At a meeting holden on the 14th day of May, 1743, it was then and 
there voted that Christopher Holmes should go to the General Assembly 
in behalf of the society to gift liberty for raising s'd meeting house. It 
was also voted that the Rev. Isaac Chalker should preach still amongst us 
from day to day as aforetime." John Comstock 3d was chosen to iutie the 
psalm in said society on the Sabbath. 



HADUVME CONGREGATIONAL CHOKCH, ISOth ANNIVERSARY. 7 

This practice of choosing one ov more persons " to ^'^J'^'^IJ'^^^^' ^Z 
kept up'for about ,5 years. It would seem that ^^'^^J'^'^l^^^^^^^l 

rrr-"Cn::::n:.r:tirth=^^^^^^ 

Sat the meeting house should stand or be so, upon the first h.U west of Job 
Bel vU^s Iwefhng house. It was a u,n..rs., ..U « ^S--^ ,f ^ * 
meeting, o„, man only accepted." That seems to have been all the 

"tw*1,Tr"it'was voted that they would proceed in the procurement 
of^M Wells to P each to them two months as quick as convement, .f he .s 
la^naHe anS^Khe is not attainable, then it was voted that they would 
proceed, if possible, to get Mr. Newton for the time aforesatd of two 

"'C's .743, "It was voted and agreed to give Mr. Edward Dorr a call 

rifbt-HrrrK^t-idrHTr^^^^ 
Hln—n^rr^t-r^^^^^^^^^^ 

this montn, ^oepu; it rneetins: it was voted to have 

UT cSlrfarel^rosby and Joseph Willey was then and there 

hoLna^ln^i'ttee to order and ta.e care of the -- ^ -^^-^^ 

I think this must have been the first pubhc school '^ .f'^f^'^^^^^l^^l 

vears later societies having within their hmits 70 families - -°- ^^^ 

Luired by law to keep a school eleven months in a year, while societies 

wkhless than 70 families were required to keep a school at least half of 

The veir From this time on to 1796 the schools seem to have been entirely 

unb> he society and to have caused a great many votes and, I presume 

no a little controversy. After a while it was settled to have two schools, 

d ided as at presenl by the town hne^ ^fter that d.e districts ..re 

divided and four schools were kept. At this meeting, bept 8. I743, atter 

ie vote to keep a scool," "Christopher Holmes was then and there 

~^;^^si^7i -r fS s^L-:;.^:: t : 

slrrneetingit was then and there voted that the committee chosen by 
saS society for to procure a minister for said society, that their power 
hould be l./z^--/, as to bring into said society any minister as shall be 
thought proper by said committee for the time of two months from the 
t?me of brLging in said minister, and hereafter their power f al be univer- 
saTas aforesail, if need be, that is to say, if said society be destitute of 

' Sef 2ri743 "It -as then and there voted that the Rev. Samuel Briant 
sh^^d ^e called upon probation till the xst day of fay next roni h da . 
to become minister in said society. It was also voted that the society 



8 HADLYME CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 150th ANNIVERSARY. 

mittee should discourse with the Rev. Mr. Briant in behalf of the society to 
see whethei' or not Mr. Briant would accept of the societies proposal. Att 
the same meeting, it was voted that Mr. Briant shall become settled minis- 
ter in said society, provided Mr. Briant and said society shall agree upon 
terms, and it was a universal vote. Att the same meeting Lieut. John 
Comstock, Serg't John Willey and Ensign John Comstock was then and 
there chosen a committee to treat with Mr. Briant." 

But it seems that they did not agree, for at a meeting on the 7th of June, 
1744, it was voted "to proceed in trying to get a minister to preach the 
gospel among us in said society within a week from the date of this meet- 
ing. Att the same meeting it was voted to call in Mr. Hosmer, Mr. Beck- 
with, Mr. Harrison and Mr. Cleaveland (Haddam) to assist in keeping a day 
of fasting and prayer in said society. Att the same meeting it was voted 
to suspend going after a minister till the day after the fast in said society. 
Sergt. John Willey, Lieut. John Comstock, Abel Willey and Thomas Cham- 
pion were appointed to desire our neighboring ministers to assist us in keep- 
ing a day of fasting and praj'er amongst us on the day mentioned. Att the 
same meeting it was voted that the man that goes after a minister for said 
society shall ask the society nothing for his time and horse. Att the same 
meeting it was voted that John Comstock 3d shall go after a minister at the 
time above prefixt." 

Nov. 14, 1744, "Dea. Isaac Spencer, Lieut. John Comstock and Sergt. 
Christopher Holmes were chosen to treat with the Rev. Grindal Rawson in 
behalf of the society what he will have a day for preaching amongst us 
three months. It was voted to offer Mr. Rawson 45 shillings old tenor pr 
day." 

Feb. 14, 1745, "It was voted that the Rev. Mr. Rawson should preach the 
gospel amongst us till the ist of June on probation, in order to settle 
amongst us in said society. It was then voted to give Mr. Rawson 45 shil- 
lings pr day and his keeping the time of his preaching amongst us." 

"Att a society meeting legally warned May ye ist, 1745, it was voted 
to choose a committee of five men to discourse with Rev. Mr. Rawson upon 
what platform and way of discipline he would settle upon with us in said 
society. John Hungerford, John Comstock, John Comstock 2d, Christopher 
Holmes and Samuel Button were appointed the committee to discourse with 
Mr. Rawson upon the account of the above written vote." 
x/ May 23, 1745, "Voted we will settle Rev. Mr. Rawson with us upon the 
Cambridge platform, as a Congregational minister if we can agree upon 
principles, salary and settlement. It was then voted to give Mr. Rawson a 
salary of one hundred and fifty pounds old tenor pr year and to add 5 
pounds pr year after 4 years until the salary shall amount to ;i^i70 old tenor, 
and three hundred pounds settlement, also ;!^ioo in labor on his house if he 
settles amongst us." To all' of which I suppose he agreed. 

May 27, 1745, the proprietors of the town of East Haddam, by their 
committee, James Cone, William Olmsted and Thomas Holmes, deeded to 
the society 10 acres of land. The deed says "then laid out pursuant to a 
vote of the proprietors of East Haddam 10 acres of land on the inward 
commons, on the parsonage sight to Sargt. 'John Willey, Capt. John Hun- 



HADLYME CON(;REGATIONAl. CHURCH, 150th ANNIVERSARY. 9 

eerford and Lieut. John Comstock together with the rest of the inhabit- 
!: Hrdlyn.e society ; Loors End of East Haddan. for the se Uenient 

of ye Congregational ministry in said parish." Ihen follo^vs the bounda 

"This land was by the soaety sold to Mr. Rawson for o.^-half of his set- 
tlement viz ;^i5o, to be discomited in the years 174 5, 46 and 47,accoi^^ 
ng a his settfement was to be paid. On this land Mr. Rawson bud t Is 
ouse the house now owned and occupied by Mr. N. Augustus Mather 
sta^fdingon the hill west from this church. The ^^^ ^^^^^^ 
state of preservation. Mr. Rawsons son. Edmund G. .old this place D> 
n ongte to Christopher Manwarring, of New London m x8.o Man... - 
Z^lll :t to Elijah Day in the year .8.8. The society bought it of Mi. 
Day in 1832 and it was used as a parsonage till June, 1850. 

The organization of the church was effected pending the -"lement of Mr. 
Rawson. The church records commence: "At a council convened at Had 
Ivme parish at the desire of the brethren of said parish and met at the 
S:r^ Lieut. John ComstoC, then June ^^^^^^^'/^^ IZ: 
Stephen Hosmer (E. Haddam), Rev. George Beckwith (N. Lyme). KeN. 
^llot:: Skinner (Westchester), Elders; ^^^^^^^'^J^^^tr^ 
F^^r Beniamin Colt, John Gates, Henry Champion, Dea. Eleazoi Smitn, 
Messengei- This c;uncil opened with prayer and then the council being 
^ o med of an act of the General Assembly of this government consU- 
tuting this society a distinct ecclesiastical society for divme wot-ship by t e 
name'of Hadlym'e society, as by a copy of said act ^^^^^'^^^r^^^^^^ 
T712 and signed by the secretary of said Commonwealth (George Wyll>s) 
appears and a numLr of the brethren inhabitants of this parish producmg 
to thTs council the certificates of their good standing in the respective 
churches to which they belong, and desiring thereupon to be embodied into 
a church This council therefore drew up for them the confession of faith 
and other articles of confederation, to which they all assenting and con- 
! ntin^ igned the same as follows." (Here fohow the -"f^^^^' ;°7, 
sentm sig Rawson, pastor, John Hungerford, Samuel 

rsbyloh'nTomlt: Samuel Dutto'n, Ephraim Fuller, Chr^topher 
Holml; John MiUard, John Comstock 2d, John Comstock 3d and ^Mnlam 
Comstock. « f„ rinv celebrate Other members were soon added, 

Thirr'chu"! » hS bot; 40 n,e..be«. we now go bacU to tbe 
:: det; 'U' May .S, ,,4. .be society voted, -We .-il. i-UU *e Re. 
M^ R^vson on the id Wednesday in Sept. next ensu.ng. bept. 2d tt ^^as 

; .^trrepa fast before the installment of Mr. Rawson, "on the ,tth 
voted to keep a tast oe ^ ^^^ ^^ .^ ^^.^^ „„^^ 

tri ^rM? Ho mer a,d Mr. BecKwith should assist in keeptng the 
trrov?n,e"nUo'rr:nd Mr. Harrtson if e.th« ^«»n, fail A« the 

TVTT^:::::::^^^^^- "0 "sTrHaddL,, M^utt. 

MrRawsoIrot: -I was installed over tb.s chttrch Sept. tSth, nr. So 



lO HADLYME CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 150th ANNIVERSARY. 

it is fair to suppose that the ministers mentioned, with their messengers, 
met and performed the duties required of them, and that the society after 
so many trials and efforts, were satisfied at last and found rest. It would 
seem that there must have been, in consequence of the depreciation of the 
"old tenor" currency in which Mr. Rawson was to be paid, a lack of sup- 
port and perhaps some friction, for I find a vote March 8, 1750: "Voted 
that if Mr. Rawson will give the society a discharge from the beginning 
of the world till the year 1750, then he shall have all the moneys now in 
his hands." There is no explanation accompanying the above vote. In 
1753 it was voted to give Mr. Rawson this present year, to be paid with 
his salary, ;^23o old tenor; 1754 it was voted to give him ^280 old tenor, 
to be paid with the salary. The same vote was passed in 1755 and 1756. 
October, 1756, "It was voted if Mr. Rawson will release the vote to 
pay him ^280 old tenor, we will pay him ^24 2S lawful money. The 
next year it was voted to give him ;,^37 lawful money, including his 
salary. And so on to the time of his death the .salary was fixed each 
year in lawful money, varying from £24. to ;^7o I have endeavored to 
solve the riddle of the old tenor currency, and I find that it consisted 
of bills of credit issued by the state, on account of the great scarcity 
of money consequent upon the French and Indian wars of the time, 
and that it varied very much in value as the times varied. Silver was 
the standard. An ounce of silver, which in 1739 was worth 28s. in 17-44 
32s. in 1749 was worth 55 or 60s. The form of the old tenor bill issued 
in 1740 was this: "Old tenor bill No. . This bill by law of the Col- 
ony of Connecticut shall pass current within the same for 20s. in value 
(or any other sum) equal to silver at 8s. per ounce Troy weight sterling 
alloy, in all payments and in the trea.sury. (Dated) Hartford, May 8th, 
1740." Signed by a committee of three, appointed by the legislature. 
I trust you will pardon this digression, as it furnishes the solution to 
the great discount on the funds applied to the payment of salaries at 
that time. In 1747 I find a record of a sexton employed. "Nathaniel 
Beckwith was chosen to take care of the meeting-house kee and to sweep 
the meeting-house, and there was voted /^i los. old tenor for his reward 
for said sarvis." 

In 1758 "it was voted to take up the seats in the meeting-house and 
build pews in the room thereof." I do not know the form of the seats 
referred to, but suppo.se they must have been .simply benches. The pews 
substituted were the square or parallelogram style, with seats on three 
sides, so that one-thiixl of the audience were facing the speaker, one- 
third sidewise and one-third were backs to the pulpit. Galleries extended 
across the south side and east and west ends of the house. The singers' 
seats ran around the entire front of the gallery, divided by openings in 
the center, making six separate seats. Opposite the pulpit sat the treble 
and counter, on the right and left the tenor and bass. Back of these sing- 
ers' seats, all around, were the square box pews, the paradise of the small 
boy. Almost as long ago as I can remember the pews were taken out on 
the south side and seats put in for the singers, so that the choir occu- 
pied that part of the gallery opposite the pulpit. For some years of my 



HADLYME CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 1 50th ANNIVERSARY. 



II 



early life the pitch of the music was obtained by blowing the note on he 
"pitch-pipe." a flat box whistle with a slide on which was marked the 
letters ns'ed in music. Then came the bass viol, the viohn the clanonet 
and flute, and in 1862 the melodeon, and later the cabmet organ. Ihe 
sounding board used to be a most wonderful thing to me. A large pan- 
elled box, pentagonal in form, apparently very slightly -^P-^ed over 
■ the head of the minister I have watched it and wondered over it I sup- 
pose many an hour. But notwithstanding it looked as though it might 
ea ily be persuaded to fall on the minister and crush him. it remained 
firmly in its place till pulled down with the pulpit it had hovered over so 

^TLrch matters seem to have gone on smoothly during Mr. R^wson's 
ministry- The number of persons who joined the church during his pas- 
Tora^i was about 150, an average of ,V, a year. Mr. ^^^^l^^^^^^^ 
29, 1777, aged 69. and was buried in the western part of the cemetery. 

^'^r-'^^'r'Att a society meeting there was ^4 los. voted to 
procure g avLstones for Mr. Rawson. and his son Edmond Gnndal 
was appointed to procure the same." April 14, 1777, "Israel Spencer 
Seacon Holmes and Samuel Comstock were appointed a committee to 
see the pulpit supplied with a teacher." They seem to have selected 
Rev. MatLw ScrS;ier, the grandfather of ^"^^^'^^ ^^"^^^^ '^^ ^^^^ 
of the publishing house that bears his name. The 7th of October. ,^, 
the same year, "if was voted to give Rev. Matthew Scribner for his yeariy 
salary if he settles amongst us in the work of the ministry, so lo^g as he 
cont^ues therein, forty pounds in money and the articles here na-ed, v^. 
2, bush, of wheat, 15 bush, of ry^e. 70 bush, of Indian com 40 lbs. of wool 
! lbs. of flax and 15 cords of wood." I presume Mr Scnbner did not 
accept this offer. We must remember that this was "a time that tned 
"eXsous;" that this meeting was holden two years after the battle of 
Lexington, when the great struggle for independence was draimng the 
counUT of its men and means to an alarming extent. Mention is made 
n the soc ety records that such and such an officer of the society ■'has gone 
the war."' The 30th of March. 1778, "It was voted ^o gJve^^r^Samu^ 
Collins a call " and the offer made to him reads. ;^i2o lawful money salary 
Sr the first year, and so continue as long as the stating of ^^^^^^^^^^^ 
they are and if wheat, rye. Indian corn and pork rises or falls, the salary 
torle and fall in proportion to them, and so continue as long as he con- 
inue in the worbof tL ministry amongst us." This offer could not have 
been accepted, for on the 26th of August. 1779. ^^^^^^ No^ ^th ^^^^ 
Joseph Vaill to supply the pulpit on probation 10 fabbaths^ Nov^ 8th the 
same year "It was unanimously voted to give Mr. Joseph Vaill a call for 
seUlement in said parish in ye gospel ministry It was also voted to give 
Mr Vail ^160 settlement, said sum to be paid after ye rate of ye pnces of 
ve articles mentioned, viz., wheat at 5s., rye at 3s. 6d, Indian com at 2S. 6d 
Xht score of pork at 3d per pound, beef at 18s. per ^-^-^^ f ;jf;^^^ 
a salary for Mr. Vaill in case he settles with said parish. ^60 a year for 
^he firsi two years, and ^5 a year to be added for two years, which makes 



12 HADLYME CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 150th ANNIVERSARY, 

£10 to be his stated salary. Likewise 12 cords of wood yearly. Jan. 10, 
1780. Mr. Vaill accepted the offer and the meeting "voted to observe a 
fast on the ist Wednesday of Feb. next, and to settle Mr. Vaill on the 2d 
Wednesday of said Feb." They also "voted to have at the ordination 
council ye Rev. Mr. Beckwith of Lyme (Hamburg), ye Rev. Mr. Little of 
(Colchester,) ye Rev. Mr. Johnson of Lyme, ye Rev. Mr. Silliman of Say- 
brook (Chester), ye Rev. Mr. Champion of Litchfield (Mr. Vaill's home), ye 
Rev. Mr. Storrs of Northbury (with whom Mr. Vaill studied theology), Rev 
Mr. Robbins of Westchester, ye Rev. Mr. Parsons of East Haddam, ye 
Rev. Mr Sweetland of Millington, and ye Rev. Mr. May of Haddam, with 
their delegates." "It was also voted at said meeting to have Dea. Christo- 
pher Holmes, Lieut. Jabez Comstock and Lieut. Jonathan Warner as a 
committee to provide for ye said council at ye time of ordination." Mr. 
Vaill simply says in the church records: "Feb. gth, 17S0. This day I was 
ordained to the work of the go.spel ministry in this place, to take the pas- 
toral charge of the 3d church in East Haddam, called by the name of 
Hadlyme society. (Signed) Joseph Vaill." 

The manner of seating the meeting house was for the society to appoint' 
a committee of four to assign the seats to the different families and persons 
of the congregation for one year, and report to the society their doings at an 
adjourned meeting, for approval or disapproval. One year there were 
three different committees appointed, who reported at three different meet- 
ings, and neither report was accepted. Then a fourth committee was 
appointed, who were successful. 

June I, 1747, "It was voted that the men and their wives shall be seated 
together, so far as the pews will hold out in the meeting house. Notwith- 
standing the many difficulties, I think the practice of seating was kept up 
till 1832, when they voted to sell the pews. A meeting was holden Oct. 14, 
1822, "for the purpose of seeing whether .said society will sell the pews in 
the meeting house." "Voted that they will not .sell the pews." 

The old meeting house was not lathed and pla.stered till 1792. For 49 
years our fathers and mothers worshiped in an unplastered house open to 
the roof, with three outside doors opening into the room and 28 windows in 
its walls, and for 40 years more without any fire except in their hearts and 
foot stoves. It was not till 1831 or '32 that a stove was put in the house 
and the pipes put out of the windows at the ea.st and west ends. The job 
of lathing and plastering was taken by Mr. Selden Warner for the sum of 
^50. 

The ministry of Mr. Vaill demands more than a passing notice, extend- 
ing, as it did, over a period of more than 52 years. He so thoroughly 
identified himself with the church and its interests that a history of Mr. 
Vaill is a history of the church. Mr. Spurgeon, in his "John Ploughman" 
talks, says that "Samuel would not have been Samuel had not Hannah been 
Hannah." So we might say of this church, it would not be this church had 
Mr. Vaill not been Mr. Vaill. He was born of parents who could give him 
but little help in getting an education. He worked on his father's farm till 
he was 21 years old. Feeling drawn to the gospel ministry', he, with three 
other young men, .started for Dartmouth College on the 28th of Sept. 1772, 



IIADLYME CONc;KEGATIONAL CHURCH, 150th ANMVEKSAKV I3 

taking his axe and such articles of clothing as were necessary to make a 
journey of i8o miles on foot, with only 15s. of money in his pocket. After 
enduring hardships and privations such as the young men of the present 
day know little of, he worked his way through college and graduated with 
his class in 1778. He studied theology with Rev. Mr. Storrs, of Northbuiy, 
Mass., and was licensed to preach in May, 1779. He .says in his diary: 
"Having preached four Sabbaths in all, I was sent for to preach in Had- 
lyme, where, after I had preached 20 Sabbaths, the church and society gave 
me a call to settle with them in the gospel ministr}'." Mr. Vaill at the time 
of his ordination was 29 years old. He says the church at that time was in 
a low state, consisting of less than 40 members. Of these only 12 were 
males. In addition to the Sabbath services, he early commenced holding 
religious conferences and prayer-meetings, and church prayer-meetings 
were included in this series of labors. At first great prejudices existed 
against religious meetings in the evening and occasional religious meetings 
on week daj^s and in reference to his maintaining these in the early part of 
his ministry he was called by some a "new light." These prejudices after 
a while wore off and he ceased to be considered a dangerous man. He 
seems to have paid particular attention to the training of the young of his 
tiock by "precept upon precept and line upon line," with excellent results. 
For his faithfulness I feel personally thankful. My grandfather was four 
years old when Mr. Vaill was settled, and my grandmother about the same 
age. They of course grew up under his influence and instructions. My 
father was born when Mr. Vaill had been here 22 years, and was under his 
ministry 30 years. I was myself five years old before Mr. Vaill had a col- 
league, so that persons of my age were almost brought up at his feet. If 
any of his congregation were absent from church on the Sabbath, he was 
sure to get up his "one horse shay" and call around on ISIonday to learn the 
reason of their absence. He was strong in the doctrines as he understood 
them. "On one occa.sion," he says, "while I was absent from my people 
something very singular occurred. I left them without encouragement that 
the pulpit would be supplied on the following Sabbath, and on my return I 
found that they had been supplied by a minister of another denomination, 
who is unsound in the fundamental articles of the Christian faith." "It is 
extremely singular," he saj^s, "for a people in the absence of their pastor to 
call a preacher of another denomination." He says in another place: "The 
want of good government and of religious education in families, if it con- 
tinues, will in process of time ruin this country." Was he not right? It is 
just those persons who have not been taught obedience in the home, and 
who have not been surrounded by the influences of Christianity during 
childhood and youth, who, defying order and law, turn our cities into bed- 
lams when they will. After 22 years Mr. Vaill writes: "I have had serious 
apprehensions of late that this small society would come to speedy dis.solu- 
tion. I know not but that will be the case. God will visit us with his holy 
spirit to reform us, or he will leave us to confusion of face." In 1S07 a 
revival took place, he says "greater than we have ever before witnessed." 
In the course of a year and a half 16 persons were added to the church. In 
1813 a more powerful and general work of the Spirit took place — 30 persons 



14 HADLVME CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 150th ANNIVERSARY. 

were added to the church. There was an unusual interest in reUgious mat- 
ters for two years. In 1S27 another general revival took place, as the fruits 
of which 56 persons were added to the church. I think Mr. Vaill was 
assisted at this time by the Rev. Asael Nettleton and the Rev Samuel Gris- 
wold of Lyme. The spring of 1830 was marked with special interest. In 
1834 some 18 persons united with the church. 

Mr. Vaill's ministry was a marked illustration of Ps. 126: 6, "He that 
goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again 
wdth rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." Mr. Vaill was one of the 
pioneer workers for temperance reform, and long before the modern tem- 
perance reform was entered upon he practiced the principle of abstinence. 
In 1 796 he published an address to youth, warning them against the vice of 
intemperance. The cause at that time was unpopular, even with the best V 
elements of society. But Mr. Vaill, being a man who once having put his 
hand to the plow thought not of looking back, kept right on with his efforts 
till at last he "had the satisfaction of seeing every member of his church, 
male and female, enrolled as members of the temperance society." In the 
latter part of the year 1831, Mr. Vaill being then more than 80 years old 
and finding the infirmities of age increasing, entered into an agreement 
with his people to enable them to procure a colleague. He continued to 
live at his home, about one mile east from the church (always occupying a 
seat in the pulpit on the Sabbath), till 1836, when he removed with his 
daughter to Killingworth, where he died in November, 1838. His funeral 
was holden in the old church where he had preached so many years, the Rev. 
Isaac Parsons, fulfilling a promise made to Mr. Vaill, preached the funeral 
sermon, taking his text from Matthew 25 : 23 ; "His Lord said unto him, well 
done, good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over a few things, 
I will make the ruUer over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy 
Lord." So he was laid beside his beloved wife and amid a great number of 
his congregation, gone before to await the resurrection of the just. 

There were 220 who joined the church during Mr. Vaill's ministry, an 
average per year of four and a fraction. The Rev. Ralph S. Crampton was 
called by the church and society to be Mr. Vaill's colleague in the spring of 
1832, was installed May 23d on a salary of $400. Oct. 30, 1834, Mr. Cramp- 
ton requested to be dismissed: reason, he could not support his family on 
the amount received. He was accordingly dismissed, Nov. 5, 1834. 

Rev. George Carrington was called by vote of the church and society, 
Jan. 26, 1835, and was installed as junior pastor Feb. 25, 1835. Mr. Car- 
rington retained his pastoral relation to the church till Feb. 22, 1842. Rev. 
Stephen A. Loper commenced his labors with this church immediately after 
the dismission of Mr. Carrington, and was installed May 18, 1845, and 
dismissed at his request June 30, 1850. Mr. Loper' s labors, extending over 
a period of eight years, were abundantly blessed in the conversion of a 
large number of the young people of this parish and by large accessions to 
the church. He will always be most kindly and lovingly remembered by 
those to whom he ministered. 

Rev. E. B. Hillard came to us from the seminary and was warmly wel- 
comed as an acquaintance who had spent many vacations in the parish. He 



HADLYME CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 150th ANNIVERSARY. 



15 



was ordained and installed March 14, 1855, and was, at his request, dis- 
missed June 3, i860, having been our pastor a little more than five years. 
Since I began this paper he has been called to receive his reward. 

Our next and last settled minister was the Rev. D. W. Teller. He com- 
menced his labors with this church Jan. i, 1869; was ordained and installed 
April ig, 1870, and dismissed Jan. 2, 1872, having been with us two years. 

OTHER MINISTERS WHO HAVE PREACHED FOR US ONE YEAR OR MORE. 

JVo. Years. Date. 

Rev. William H. Goodwin i 1850-51 

Rev. James Noyes 3 1851-53 

Rev. William D. Sands i 1853-54 

Rev. H. W. Jones 6 1860-66 

Rev. Charles Cutting i 1866-67 

Rev. H. M. Vaill 3 1872-75 

Rev. M. J. Callam 3 1875-78 

Rev. H. E. Hart 3 1878-81 

Rev. William Clift 5 1881-66 

Rev. F. P. Waters 2 1886-88 

Rev. G. H. Burgess 4 1890-94 

Of the efficient labors of these acting pastors and of their loving service 
we have not time to speak at length. 



DEACONS. 
Mlien Chosen. Name. Died or Dismigsed. 

June 8, 1746, Samuel Button, probably died 1749. 

" 8, 1746, Samuel Crosby, " " i755, 

Jan. 1750, Christopher Holmes, died April 12 1792, 

March, 1756, Samuel Selden, was a Colonel in the Con- 
tinental army. Died a prisoner of war in 

the Old Brick Church, New York, 1776, 

April, 1792, Jabez Comstock, excused 1802, died 1807, 

March, 1780, Israel Spencer, " 1802, " 1813, 

Oct. 1S02, Israel S. Spencer, " 1883, " 1837, 

June, 1803, Israel Dewey, " 1806, 

1815, Ithamar Harvey, " 1847, 

Jan. 1S2S, Selden Warner, " 1833, " 1843, 

March, 1S33, Samuel C. Selden, " 1846, " 1852, 

May, 1833, Elijah Comstock, " 1846, " 1858, 

Sept. 1846, Isaac Chester, Jr., dismissed April, 1852, 

Nov. 1854, Frederick A. Tiffany, and left the place in 1868, 

" 1854, Joseph Selden, dismissed in 1859, 

Feb. 1866, William C. Spencer, died May 30, 1889, 

May, 1S69, Almon Day, dismissed in 1874, 

Sept. 1874, Silas R. Holmes. 
July, 1889, Joseph W. Hungerford. 

Of the above only the three last named are now living. 



Age. 


Served. 




3 




9 


77 


42 


52 


20 


84 


10 


82 


22 


74 


31 


52 


3 


82 


32 


82 


5 


65 


13 


84 


13 


V' 


6 




14 




5 



65 



i6 



HADLYME CONCxREGATIONAL CHURCH, 150th ANNIVERSARY. 



The record of the organization of the Sundajj- School is as follows; "The 
inhabitants of the Society of Hadlyme friendly to the cause of Sabbath 
Schools, having met on the evening of the nth of May, 1S28, agreeable to 
previous notice, proceeded to organize themselves by choosing Rev. J. Vaill 
moderator of the meeting, and having heard the foregoing constitution of 
a Sabbath School Society read, adopted the same, and in compliance with 
the 3d article of the rules of the society, made choice of the following per- 
sons as officers, viz. : Selden Warner, Elijah Comstock and Israel S. Spen- 
cer, directors; Samuel S. Warner, superintendent; R. E. Selden, Jr., sec- 
retary ; Robert Hungerford, 2d, librarian " 

Teachers of the Sabbath School appointed at the first meeting of the 
society — Elijah Day, Ansel Hungerford, Timothy Holmes, William D. 
Marks, Stephen Day. Elijah S. Comstock, Thomas Mosley, Richard E. Sel- 
den, Jr., Sarah Vaill, Julia Selden, Lucretia Holmes, Amanda Vaill, Nancy 
Holmes, Mary Ann Holmes, Mary Tifi^any, Emeline Spencer and Sarah 
Comstock, seventeen in all. 



A subscription was started to raise money to build a new church in 1840, 
to be binding if $2,000 was subscribed. The following is a copy of the 
names of the subscribers and the amounts given : 



Samuel C. Selden $210 00 

Wm. Spencer 150 00 

Ozias Holmes 105 00 

Ansel Hungerford 105 00 

Samuel S. Warner 50 00 

Isaac Chester, Jr 30 00 

Charles Howell 75 00 

Ebenezer Holmes 15 00 

Joseph Holmes 10 00 

Timothy Holmes 27 00 

Gurdon Ely 3 00 

C. B. Phelps 5 00 

Elijah Comstock 105 00 

H. T. & F. W. Comstock. . . 25 00 

C. L. Ely 20 00 

Joseph E. Hungerford 50 00 

Asa Hungerford 30 00 

Elijah Day 5 5 00 

James Gates 50 00 

Urson W. Gates 5 00 

Zachariah Hungerford 100 00 

George Howell 5 00 

John Littlefield 5 00 

C. F. Miner 5 00 

Andrew C. Phelps • 1 6 00 



Dr. B. F. Smith....' $10 00 

Nathan Meigs 10 50 

Robert Hungerford 50 00 

R. E. Selden, Jr 105 00 

Roswell Tupper 5 00 

Alvin P. Phelps 20 00 

Thomas Mosley 1 5 00 

Daniel K. Howell 1 5 00 

William Hungerford 100 00 

Joseph Warner 25 00 

Ephraim Warner 5 00 

John C. Bogue 5 00 

Samuel Brooks 50 00 

Richard & Samuel Brooks, 2d . 25 00 

Oliver Comstock 100 00 

Samuel L. Comstock 8 00 

Jared Daniels 2 00 

H. W. Edwards 5 00 

Jabez A. Phelps 5 00 

Joseph Selden 5 00 

Nathan Tiffany 15 00 

F. A. Tiffany 10 00 

Joseph O. Warner 50 00 

John S. Wells 1 5 00 

A. W. Willey 10 00 



Making $1,918.50. Then the women 
enough to make the sum up to $2,008.50. 



subscribed $90.00, which was 



HADLYME CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 150th ANNIVERSARY. 1 7 

Susannah Andrews $io oo Mary Lord $ 3 00 

Demis Avery 5 00 Mary Lord, Jr 3 00 

Deborah Comstock 7 00 Alice Marsh 5 00 

Mary Comstock 2 00 Prudence Parker 5 00 

Olive Hungerf ord 10 00 Julia Selden 10 00 

Lovica Hungerford 10 00 Maria Waite 5 00 

Phebe Howell 5 00 Betsey Warner 10 00 

Of the above subscribers only four are now living, viz : F. W. Comstock, 
Samuel Brooks, 2d, George Howell and H. W. Edwards. 

This building in which we meet to-day was contracted for by the build- 
ing committee, who were William Spencer, Samuel S. Warner, Ozias 
Holmes, Ansel Hungerford and John S. Wells, and built in 1S40 and dedi- 
cated the 6th of January, 1841. I well remember, as I look around this 
room, the faces and fomis of the men of that time, as they sat in these 
seats from Sunday to Sunday, listening to the preacher and engaging in acts 
of worship. They are now almost all gone up to worship "in that house 
not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." 

Jan. 20, i8go, this church, by the necessai"y votes and by the co-operation 
of the society, and in accordance with the law passed in i88g, became a 
body politic and coi-porate. I have heard no regrets expressed on account 
of the change. 

The whole number of persons who have united with this church .since its 
organization is 573, an average of three and eight-tenths for the 150 years. 
The present membership is 86; females, 67; males, 19. We believe that 
this church, organized 150 years Ago, has been kept by the power of God, 
and that, through His power and by His blessing, very many precious 
souls have been saved and gathered home to the church in heaven. The 
past we may know and recall with pleasure and profit ; the future is wisely 
hidden from our view, but we know that it is holdeu in the hands of the 
same loving Father who has blessed and kept us in the past. We believe 
this church is a vine of God's own planting, and that He will cause it to 
grow and flourish and bear fruit to the honor and glory of His name for a 
great while yet to come, so that when Christ shall come to this earth again 
to reign, the members of this church, we hope then greatly increased in 
numbers, shall all be found with their "lamps trimmed and burning," wait- 
ing and watching for His coming, and ready to join in the heavenly anthem, 
"Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power and riches, and wis- 
dom, and .strength, and honor, and glory and blessing," forever and ever. 
Amen. 



Note.— In this paper I have partly preserved the original spelling and partly 
spelled in modern style. 



HADLYME CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 150th ANNIVERSARY. 



ADDRESS OF REV. A. S. CHESEBROUGH, D. D. 

On the One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary of the Congrega- 
tional Church in Hadlyme, June 26, 1895. 

I have been invited to contribute to the observance of this anniver- 
sary some reminiscenses of my acquaintance with this church. 

When I entered upon my ministry in Chester, on the opposite side of the 
river, some fifty-four years ago, it was a matter of great interest to me 
who my ministerial and ecclesiastical neighbors were to be. On taking a 
survey of the adjoining parishes I found myself most happily located. I 
had upon the north, as the pastor of the church in Haddam, Dr. David D. 
Field, already venerable for his j^-ears and renowmed for his knowledge of 
Congregational history and usages. Near to me on the south was Rev. Fred- 
eric W. Chapman of the church in Deep River, an active worker, and a 
most kind and brotherly man. At what was then called Pautapaug, now 
Centerbrook, was Father Aaron Hovey, rather slow, as was thought, but 
good and sound to the core. And at Saybrook, in the fifty-fourth year of 
his pastorate, was the aged and greatly beloved Father Hotchkiss, having 
for his colleague one of the most vivacious and intensely active members 
of our ministerial fraternity. Rev. E. B. Crane. 

But how about the east side of the river? Though in a geographical line 
Hadlyme was not more distant than Centerbrook, yet, by reason of the 
river "which rolled between," it seemed to me at that time farther off than 
Boston does now. It was not, however, so far off but that I could hear 
some faint mutterings of thunder, and see the clouds darkening the sky 
over these hills. Whence this commotion in the elements ? It did not quite 
amount to a cyclone. It was just one of those transient disturbances which 
is liable to visit every community, when changes of opinion and custom are 
agitating the atmosphere and playing off electric batteries from opposite 
sides of a question in dispute. It was a skirmish in the age-long battle 
between stationariness and change, between conservatism and innovation. 
One party said, "We must travel on in the old rut." The other replied, 
"No, we will lay out a new track." The former thought that they saw in 
the proposed novelty a dangerous departure from the safe old paths in 
which the fathers walked, and that a subtle new school heresy lay concealed 
in it. There seemed to be a serious alarm on the part of some lest the very 
foundations of the church were giving way. The question was simply this: 
Whether in the meeting-house just built, the congregation in worship, 
should continue the old established practice of standing in prayer-time and 
sitting during the service of song; or should reverse these attitudes — stand 
in singing and sit with bowed heads in prayer. 



HADLYME CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 150th ANNIVERSARY. I9 

In addition to the division which this controversy caused in a hitherto 
united church, it unfortunately resulted in the dismission of the pastor, the 
Rev. George Carrington. He had proved himself to be a good pastor, an 
acceptable preacher. He was an excellent man, a graduate of Yale univer- 
sity in the class of 1822; scholarly and much respected by his ministerial 
brethren. The excitement gradually died down, harmony was restored, 
and the difficulty remained only as a memory. 

As one of my reminiscences, I call distinctly to mind, the first time I 
crossed the Hadlyme ferry. I had been brought up in a seaport town, and 
had been familiar from childhood with all sorts of row-boats, sail-boats and 
sea-going vessels. But on reaching the river bank to cross over, and seeing 
there an old scow rigged with a sail, waiting to carry me and my team over ; 
it looked to me as about the most ungainly sort of craft to go to sea in 
that I had ever seen — a queer instrument of navigation. The crew consisted 
of two men, each one of whom seemed to be captain, mate and all hands. 
As this was the only way to get to Hadlyme, I must of course go on board 
in order to make the voyage, which I did with some little misgivings. Well, 
by dint of trimming the sail, and rowing and sculling and some loud shout- 
ing, I was landed safely on this side. I afterwards learned that the older 
of the two men who navigated this craft was the senior deacon of this 
church, and that the other was his son. 

I remember that at a meeting of the consociation in Hadlyme the body 
dined together at the house of a recently married couple, whose residence 
was a little way south of this meeting-house, where we were well entertained 
and attentively waited upon. I can now see the attractive little woman who 
was our hostess moving watchfully about the tables with her corps of assist- 
ants, making sure that every guest was duly provided for. I need hardly 
tell the older people here who she was — none other than Mrs. John S. 
Welles, who with her husband was among the salt of the earth. I had 
abundant occasion subsequently to count them as very dear friends, and as 
helpful parishioners in Glastonbury. Mr. Welles passed away some six and 
a half years ago, and his wife, burdened with a weight of infirmities, is 
waiting to join him in the better land. This church has reason to cherish 
their memories with gratitude for their benefactions. While resident here 
Mr. Welles was dependent upon the labor of his hands. God afterwards 
entrusted him with wealth, and in his pro.sperity he did not forget this 
people in whose fellowship he had his humble beginnings. 

I have reason for pleasant remembrances of Hadlyme for giving me 
another dear friend — a loving and highly valued brother in the ministry — 
Rev. Stephen A. Loper. He was thirteen years older than myself. But he 
always retained his youthful vivacity, and in our intercourse the discrep- 
ances of age were forgotten, and we were boys together. Among his inti- 
mate associates he always had a fund of stories at hand to illustrate his 
points and enliven conversation. He was a sound theologian, an instructive 
preacher, a prudent and efficient pastor, and a godly and lovable man. I 
was with him more or less during his pastorate here, both when the sun- 
shine brightened his days, and when sickness and death and other trials 
shadowed his horizon. But he ever preserved his Christian equanimity and 
fidelity under all providential changes. 



20 HADLYME CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 150th ANNIVERSARY. 

Of Deacon Comstock, of ^Yhom I have spoken, I knew httle or nothing 
in the way of personal acquaintance ; but of the other deacons of this 
church I have some very pleasant memories. Though they differed from 
one another in their characteristic qualities, they were sterling men, full}'^ up 
to gold standard. Deacon Samuel C. Selden was a strong man, ever 
steadfast in what he deemed to be right. I have known few men in whose 
good judgment I should be more willing to confide in such practical matters 
as came within his range than in his. Where I have met with him in eccle- 
siastical councils, I found that there were no delegates from the churches 
whose opinions weighed more than did his. 

Deacon Isaac Chester was an honor to the church and a most useful mem- 
ber, the very soul of Christian integrity. You might about as soon have 
expected to see Moses, when he wrote the Decalogue on the tables of stone, 
leave out one o^ the commandments, as to learn that Deacon Chester had 
swerved a hair's breadth from the law of uprightness. Later in life he was 
a parishioner of mine in Vernon. 

Brother William Spencer was somewhat retiring in his disposition and 
gentle in his manners. But he was a tower of strength in the support of 
any good cause into which he threw his interest. I have been privileged 
to be a guest in his hospitable home, and I found reason for entertaining 
the highest respect for him and his truly excellent wife. With two or three 
of their children I had an agreeable acquaintance, more particularly with 
their eldest daughter, Mrs. Doctor Catlin of Meriden, in whose delightful 
family I made my home at one time, while supplying the pulpit of the First 
Church in that city. 

I remember also Mr. Richard E. Selden — a graduate of Yale University 
in the class of 1818 — a bright, intelligent, well-read gentleman, ultra-con- 
servative in his opinions, unchangeably wedded to what was regarded as 
old school theology. He was especially intolerant of the new school divin- 
ity which was taught at New Haven by Dr. Taylor. He wrote and pub- 
lished a little book as a burlesque or rather a ridiculous carricature of the 
New Haven professors and their teachings, showing up these teachings as 
tending to encourage and bring into vogue all sorts of extravagant and 
ridiculous schemes of reform. The title of the book was, the "Newest 
Keepsake for Eighteen Hundred and Thirty-Nine; containing the speeches, 
circumstances and doings of a recent benevolent convention, at the chapel 
of the Marlboro' House, Boston, embellished with cuts and views of moral 
machinery. By an eminent artist." The convention of which the book 
gives account was especially called for the purpose of organizing "The 
American Society to prevent children kicking oif the bed-clothes." The 
characters who took part in this so-called Trundle-Bed Convention were 
the leading reformers of the day, in the cause of anti-slavery, tetotalism, 
non-resistance, woman's rights, etc., backed by the prominent New School 
Theologians, to all of whom fictitious names were given. 

In addition to this book, Mr. Selden published one or more political tracts. 
He was a keen antagonist in political debates. I was well acquainted with 
the brothers, Samuel Selden and Joseph Warner ; both earnest supporters 
of this church. The eldest daughter of Mr. Samuel Selden Warner, 



HADLYME CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 1 5otll ANNIVERSARY. 21 

became, by her marriage to Chief Justice Waite, one of the first ladies of 
the land, honoring her position with rare dignity and grace. I remember 
that in the afternoon of one pleasant day, at the time when Hadlyme 
had no minister, Selden Warner's son. Captain Samuel Warner, came to 
my house in Chester with the request that I would go over the river to his 
father's house to unite his youngest sister in luarriage to Mr. Gloyd of 
Toledo, Ohio. This service I performed ; and the last time I saw Mr. and 
Mrs. Warner they were spending a serene old age in Mrs. Gloyd's family, 
calmly awaiting the close of life. 

I will not spin out these reminiscences farther, than to name several per- 
sons with whom I had more or less acquaintance. Among those whom I 
knew best were Uncle Ozias and Aunt Betsey Holmes, as everybody 
called them ; a couple Avhom everybody loved. And then there was Mr. 
EHjah Day, and there were two or three brothers Hungerford, and one or 
two Holmes. 

It was always to me a great pleasure to preach in this cosy meeting-house 
to one of the most intelligent congregations within the bounds of my 
exchanges. And there was one fact which deeply impressed me with regard 
to this people, and that was their Uberality in contributing to the support 
of our benevolent societies. The Annual Reports of these societies showed 
that Hadlyme stood among the foremost of the churches in the neighbor- 
hood in this respect. 

And let me say, in conclusion, I congratulate you, my brethren, on the 
occurrence of this anniversary, that you have, as a church, survived the 
changes that have passed over your head, and that you are purposed with 
divine aid to maintain your standing as a well-ordered Christian Brother- 
hood, and thus as a witness for our divine Master. It is a matter in which 
you are justified in a feeling of pride that the two original towns out of 
whose territory this parish was carved, have been singulariy productive 
of so many men distinguished both in the church and the state. To give 
only a few examples: On the one side, I may refer to men who have con- 
ferred honor upon the names of Emmons, and Griffin, and Chapman, and 
Spencer; and in the other, to those who have borne the names of Ely, and 
Griswold, and Waite, and McCurdy. And this parish of Hadlyme, though 
it has never contained more than seventy-five or eighty families, has done 
"worthily in Ephratah, and has been famous in Bethlehem." These rough 
fields have yielded harvests of which the tillers may justly be proud, as long 
as the names of Harvey, and Vaill, and Selden, and Hungerford, and 
many others are remembered. And in this connection, I am led to say that 
the very best quarries of a high Christian manhood are to be found in just 
such rural communities. Out of these hard hills are to be cut and polished 
the choicest stones for the construction of the edifices of the church and the 
state. Whence come the strong men, the men of power in our cities— the 
acknowledged leaders in business, in civil affairs, in great moral and 
religious enterprises ? In very large measure, these men are born and 
trained in the country towns. The quiet and inartificial life of these retired 
localities constitute the best element for the culture of moral and intellectual 
strength. This church, though "little among the thousands of Judah," has, 



22 HADLYME CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 150th ANNIVERSARY. 

with all its limitations, a noble mission to fulfill in the training of a true 
Christian manhood and womanhood. Let these fathers and mothers but 
prove faithful to their trust, let this pastor fulfill his high function, and 
there will flow forth from this center in the future as in the past streams of 
blessing. Who then will not in concert with me say, may the light in this 
golden candlestick never burn dim ? 



ADDRESS BY JUDGE HIRAM WILLEY. 

The remarks I am about to make must necessarily be brief, as I am 
expected to occupy about ten minutes of your time, as other speakers are 
to follow me whom you will be better pleased to hear, and although it is 
the privilege of old men to be garrulous, your committee have wisely, no 
doubt, set a limit to my garrulity. But I wish to say, what is known to 
most of you, that I was born and my boyhood was spent in Hadlyme, and 
now in my old age I have come to live and die in the place wliere I was 
born. 

My recollection extends over a period of seventy years, and the days of 
my boyhood as they were connected with the old school-house and the old 
church located on the same spots where the present school-house and church 
stand, are treasured among the dearest memories of my life. 

I propose to .say a few words as briefly as possible concerning some of the 
men who have lived or were born in Hadlyme who have made their mark 
in the world's hi.story, and who, as I believe, have made the world better by 
their having lived in it. I well remember the Rev. Joseph Vaill, the second 
settled pastor of this church, and how it was his custom to visit the public 
school regularly on Saturday and hear the children recite and instruct them 
in the "Westminster Catechism," in which are some things hard to be 
understood, and which seem to need considerable explanation at the present 
time. He taught a select school in the early days of his pastorate, in 
which he fitted young men for college, and from this school went forth many 
young men with characters strengthened for good by his instructions. I 
will mention two of his scholars, Hadlyme boys, who entered and were 
graduated at Yale College and became highly distinguished: Rev. Joseph 
Harvey as a theologian, and William Hungerford as a lawyer. I was per- 
sonally acquainted with William Hungerford. I need not speak of him to 
the people of Hadlyme; the pureness and nobleness of his character are 
well known As a lawyer he was pre-eminent; simple in his manners, 
polite and kind to all, he was a perfect model of a christian gentleman. 

Christopher Holmes was a deacon of this church from 1750 to 1792. He 
was the ancestor of the Holmes families in Hadlyme. He was the father 
of Dr. Christopher Holmes, an eminent physican ; also the father of Judge 
Eliphalet Holmes, the great-grandfather of Deacon Silas R. Holmes. Judge 



HADLYME CON 



JGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 1 50th ANNIVERSARY 23 



Holmes I well remember. He was a captain in the I^-^^^^-^f .^ J^^^"^, 
did good service for his country. He was a magistrate who tried man> 
case! was highly respected, and represented the town of East Haddam m 
the legislature for a great number of years. 

The Seldens were distinguished in the early and later history of the 
church. Samuel Selden was a deacon from 1756 until his death. He was 
a colonel in the Revolutionary war and died a prisoner of war m ^^^w \ ork 
in 1776 I recollect Col. Samuel C. Selden, his grandson, who was a deacon 
in this church from 1833 to 1846, and who was the uncle of Col. Joseph Se 
den a colonel in the war of the rebeUion, and was also a deacon in this 
chu;ch. and who leaves a son, Rev. Edward Selden, distingu.hed as a 
christian minister. Richard Ely Selden was also a grandson of Co . Samue 
Selden He was a graduate of Yale College, a man of great genera 
fnlormation, a fluent'and graceful speaker, a gentleman of the old school 
and a member of this church. One of his sisters married Henry M. \\ aite, 
who became Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Connecticut, and s^he 
was the mother of\lorrison R. Waite, late CJiief Justice of the Sjeme 
Court of the United States, who married Amelia C. Warner, "f Hadl>me 
a daughter of Samuel Selden Warner, who was an active member of this 
churc? The only daughter of Esquire Richard E. Selden niarned Gem 
Elihu Geer, who settled in Hadlyme and whose children are highly esteemed 
for their religious characters and business qualities and .^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^^ 
sentatives of the parental stock. Associated m my mmd with Esquire 
Rila d E. Seldenl Col. Zebulon Brockway, who lived in Hadlyme many 
y ars before his death. When Esquire Selden and Colonel Brockway met 
fn debate as they often did upon political subjects, it was a conte.st of intel- 
ecSalgiknts. Both have passed away. Esquire Selden is represented m 
Hadh^e by his sons, Richard Lynde and William E. Selden, both mem- 
bers of thi J church ; and Col. Brockway is represented here by Mrs. Hen^ 
T Comstock who is also a member of this church, and we may also claim 
L' Hadlvm'e training and influence may have had much to do m the f o^^^^ 
ation of the character of Zebulon Reed Brockway (a son of Zebulon Brock- 
wlv) superintendent of the Elmira Reformatory pnson. and whose repu- 
luon and influence for good in his Hne of lab<,r is not excelled by any man 
W I should also refer to another Hadlyme boy who has recently 
closed his earthly career for a more glorious inheritance. I mean Robert 
E Day. Educated at Yale College by his uncle, William Hungerford, he 
Sudiefl law and was highly esteemed in his profession; but it is of his 
r^anl> and christian qualities I desire to speak. He .^s -assuming^ 
noble and generous. He sought to benefit others rather than himself and 
belwed upon them his money, and better than all, his sympathy and 
afftrion. I should not fail to mention that the Spencers and Comstocks 
fere leadiitg men in the church in its eariy and later history. Israel Spen- 
cer was a d?acon from 1780 to xSo., and I.srael S. Spencer, his son was dea- 
con rom 1802 to 1833 ; and William C. Spencer, grandson of Israel S.hpen-^ 
ce waT deacon from x866 until his recent death. At the organization of 
h ; hurch the council convened at Hadlyme parish and met at the house 
of Lieut. John Comstock, June 26th, 1745-150 years ago to-da>. The 



24 HADLYME CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 150th ANNIVERSARY. 

council drew up a confession of faith which was signed by the pastor, 
Grindal Rawson, and ten others, among whom were John Comstock, John 
Comstock, 2nd, and John Comstock, 3rd The first-named John Comstock 
was the great-grandfather of Frederick Comstock and the late Henry T. 
Comstock. Among his sons were John (who must have been John, 2nd), 
Jabez and Asa Comstock. We find that Jabez Comstock was a deacon 
from 1792 until 1802; and Elijah Comstock, son of Asa and a grandson of 
John and the father of Frederick and Henry T. Comstock, was deacon 
from 1833 until 1846. 

Hadlyme must have been distinguished for patriotism during the Revo- 
lutionary war. In addition to the names of Col. Samuel Selden and Capt. 
Eliphalet Holmes, before mentioned, were Lieut. Robert Hungerford, the 
father of William Hungerford and the grandfather of Richard E. and 
Joseph Hungerford, the last-named being a deacon of this church, also the 
grandfather of Dea. Edward C. Hungerford, of Chester, whom you know 
and whose praises I need not speak. He was also the great-grandfather of 
Charles, Justin and William Gates, Hadlyme boys who are doing good 
christian work in the communities where they reside. Lieut. Hungerford 
also had a brother, a Hadlyme man, who was a captain in the Revolution- 
ary war. Abraham Willey was also a lieutenant in the Revolutionary war 
and was commissioned as captain at its close. So that Hadlyme can boast 
of one colonel, two captains, two or more lieutenants, and many non-com- 
missioned officers and privates who performed valiant service for their 
country in the "da3rs that tried men's souls." 

Of the women of Hadlyme I have no names of preachers or political 
orators, but I could give the names of hundreds of mothers who have 
blessed their homes by their unremitting care and love of their husbands 
and children, who never desired a divorce or a more fruitful field of labor 
than the training of their children for that which was great and good, and 
who sent forth by the powers of their home-lives and the performance of 
ho:ne duties, an influence more powerful for good upon the state and nation 
than they could have done by writing a hundred novels, or by voting or 
attending political conventions, for from the sanctities of well-ordered 
country homes, of which the mother is Queen regent, flow those pure streams 
that have saved and must continue to save the nation from the debauching 
influences of aggregated wealth aud municipal corruption. 



Note.— The brother of Lieut. Robert Hungerford, referred to, was Captain Zacha- 
riah Hungerford, the grandfather of William E. Hungerford and the great-grand father 
of William Sumner Hungerford and Clarepce W. Hungerford, Hadlyme boys who 
have earned a high reputation for their educational accomplishments and christian 
characters. 

To George Carrington, who was pastor when the present church was built, I am 
indebted for much valuable instruction, and his son George M. Carrington of Winsted, 
who was born in the house built and occupied by the first settled pastor of this church 
is a inost worthy representative of his father and should be classed with the foremost 
men of Hadlyrrie origin. 

Rev. Stephen A. Loper, the successor of Mr. Carrington, is worthy of most honorable 
mention as a talented and faithful minister. To him I am indebted for an important 
and pleasing event of my life, the joining me in marriage to Charity W. jMoseley of 
Hadlyme, a daughter of Thomas Moseley, a member of this church, whose father was 
the Hon. Jonathan Ogden Moseley of East Haddam, for twenty years a representative 
in Congress from Connecticut, and whose father was Dr. Thomas Moseley of East Had- 
dam, and whose mother was Phebe Ogden, a daughter of Gov. Jonathan Ogden of New 
Jersey. Abraham Willey was the grandfather of Hiram Willey. 



HADLYME CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 150th ANNIVERSARY. 



ADDRESS BY DEACON EDWARD C. HUxNTGERFORD, 
Now OF Chester, Conn. 



As a son of Hadlyme, returned after many years absence, I will try and 
recall some recollections of the past. The old meeting-house stands in our 
memory as a holy place. The godly, reverent men and women who used to 
meet there to worship God when we who are here were children, are before 
us to-day very clearly seen in our memories. No doubt they were people 
of like passions much as we now are ; but how good and grand they seem 
to us now. They have all left their sins and troubles behind, and many of 
them now sleep in the rear of this church. Perhaps they are now behold- 
ing us, right here in view ; if so, God grant they may see that which shall 
please them this day. 

This new church building is also a sacred spot to most of those now living ; 
how many beautiful and sweet memories are in our hearts connected with 
this later house. We ought to all remember, and alwaj'S remember, that 
those who laid the foundations here and elsewhere long years ago, carried 
far heavier burdens for the sake of God and their fellow-men than we are 
doing ; they labored hard and denied themselves for our good. The young 
men and young women ought especially to remember this ; and these exam- 
ples should encourage the present and future generations to help sustain 
and maintain good institutions to hand down to those Avho shall come after. 
We cannot after so many years have passed get the particulars of the per- 
sonal history of many of the founders of this church. Capt John Hunger- 
ford, who was the moderator of the meeting when this church wa.s organ- 
ized, was an old man seventy-three years of age. He was born near New 
London, Conn., about 1672. His father, Thomas, moved with his family to 
Hadlyme in 1690, when John was eighteen years old. They lived about a 
mile west of where this church stands. The father, Thomas, was a black- 
smith, and made by hand the nails used in building the parsonage at Had- 
dam, 1691 to 1695. He agreed to "provyde and deliver so many nails of 
such syses as shall be needful to the compleate finishing of the house." And 
the town of Haddam gave him twenty acres of land in Moodus in payment 
therefor. Nails wei-e dear and land was cheap in those days. No doubt 
the son, John, helped hammer out those nails. John found a good young 
woman, Deborah Spencer, and they were married December 3, 1702. The 
good wife joined the church in East Haddam May i, 1709; and the fact 
that she joined the church twenty-four years before her husband did shows 
her godly, self-denying, forceful character. John, the husband, joined the 
East Haddam church in 1733. He was evidently prominent in founding 



26 HADLYME CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 150th ANNIVERSARY, 

this Hadlyme church, June 26, 1745, and his wife, Deborah, joined this 
church by letter soon after. They had nine children, all but one of whom 
lived to adult age ; most of them married and lived here in Hadlyme or in 
this vicinity. John Hungerford died July i, 1748, three years after this 
church was founded. Deborah died October 14, 1750, five years after this 
church began. 

We have said that Deborah appears to have been a goodly, godly woman, 
and we have here a small Bible which was hers, and has been handed 
down among her descendants; // is a sacred book, and it was Deborah's 
guide and comfort ; it was the foundation on which she tried to build the 
character of her large family, and she seems like the Deborah of old, "A 
mother in Israel." On the blank leaf of this Bible is written: "Deborah 
Hungerford, her book, God gave her grace therein to look." The gospel in 
this book was more precious to her than anything else she had on earth. 
But Deborah was only one of the great number of godly, useful mothers, 
who here have lived, loved, labored, and left a line of good infiuences to 
bless their posterity. 

While we have learned somewhat of the histoiy of Capt. John Hunger- 
ford and Deborah Hungerford, yet we have no reason to suppose that this 
worthy couple were better than the rest of the founders of Hadlyme church ; 
and their history is probably much the same as that of the other godly men 
and women who were the ancestors of most of us who are here to-day. 
These God-fearing, self-denying, strong-minded ancestors of ours are sam- 
ples of a generation of New England christians whose influence has been 
felt throughout the United States; and it will continue to be felt so long as 
this nation honors Christianity, integrity and true manhood. 

Let us go back for a few minutes and look into the old meeting-house as 
it was on Sundays sixty-three years ago. The minister. Rev. Joseph Vaill, 
is there, and he ^■a.'&X.xvXy a. rezwrend vaaw. The deacons are there also: 
Selden V/arner, Samuel C. Selden and Elijah Comstock, good, kind, devout 
aged men. The minister has read a psalm from the pulpit psalm-book. The 
choir in the front seat of the gallery rises ; in their center stands Esq. Ozias 
Holmes, a large-bodied, large-hearted, genial man ; beside him on his right 
stand Timothy Holmes, Augustus Tiffany, Samuel Brooks and Frederic W. 
Comstock; on his left stand Eliza Holmes, Mehitable Holmes, Mrs. Mary 
Ann Warner and Mrs. Lock Comstock ; behind them stand Ebenezer Holmes, 
Joseph Holmes, Joseph Warner and Nelaon Tiffany. Esq. Ozias Holmes 
calls aloud the name of the tune. "Mear" — then he places the "pitch- 
pipe" to his lips and blows the sound of the key-note. Then he sounds 
"fawm," and each part of the choir sound the same note with him, and 
then run their voices along the scale to their own separate starting key- 
notes. Now the choir together start the tune ; and who of us that remem- 
bers that singing has ever heard more truly devotional or heartfelt singing 
of God's praises ? All these singers but three have gone up higher. Mrs. 
Mary Ann Warner, Frederic W. Comstock and Samuel Brooks are here with 
us to-day. 

Then there was the Sunday school, with its light-hearted, and light- 
headed boys and girls. The teachers, however, were usually God-fearing, 



HADLYME CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 150th ANNIVERSARY. 27 

self-denying people. Some of us here to-day can remember their earnest 
endeavors to lead their pupils into God's ways. We can remember the tears 
which would run down their faces from very earnestness. 

These teachers have nekrly or quite all gone to their reward ; and we can 
almost hear their welcome: "Enter ye into the joy of your Lord." 

Fifty years ago this summer a boy sat in yonder gallery (where he played 
the second flute) ; his father was dead ; his mother was a widow, a living 
saint then. She lies at rest now in the rear of this church. Rev. Mr. Loper 
was the pastor; he and this boy were good friends. (Mr. Loper was a 
friend to all.) It was a beautiful day in summer; so far as human eyes 
could see there was nothing peculiar about the sermon or the other worship 
that day ; but that boy in yonder gallery heard in that sermon the voice of 
God, telling him he was a sinner, and not forgiven or saved. The boy went 
away tliat day very anxious to know what he must do to be saved. A few 
other young people seemed just then to feel the same anxiety. Some of 
them soon found peace by trusting in Jesus Christ. This boy could not, or 
did not see the way ; his godly mother talked with him ; but he still kept 
trying to find out what he must do; he thought he must do something. 
Several days of anxiety passed ; the boy kept on praying to God for help 
and light. One evening a prayer-meeting was held in the north school- 
house near here ; the boy went there as usual ; and almost as soon as the 
meeting began it suddenly seemed as if a light was about him, and he as 
suddenly saw and understood that Jesus Christ had done it all ; and there 
was nothing more needed for the boy to do only to trust in what Christ had 
done, to live so as to plea.se God, and in short to be saved by Him, The 
boy thought, "Why, how easy and how simple it all is; why didn't I see it 
before ?" The fact was, God had now given this boy the very light he had 
been praying for. The boy now wished that everybody else could see how 
simple God's way of salvation is. This was fifty years ago this summer. 
The boy is a gray-haired man, and stands here before you, and he believes 
that if he was ever born again, that he was born then and there. There 
are in this audience to-daj^ several others who date their conversion to that 
same summer; and so it is fitting that we of all others should come on this 
fiftieth anniversary of our spiritual birthday, and here before the people 
publicly thank God that he heard our prayers and lifted up the light of His 
countenance upon us. 

David said of Jerusalem: "The Lord will count when he writeth up the 
people that this one was born there." So it is written in God's book of all 
the christians who have died and gone to glory from this Hadlyme church: 
"He or she was born there." That is just what churches are for. 

Many of God's people here present are now joining with me in the earn- 
est wish ; oh, how earnest, that the name of every inhabitant of Hadlyme 
maybe found written in the "Lamb's Book of Life." We can only pray 
and invite others. Each individual must do his or her part as all christians 
before us have done, and Godr is faithful to hear the earnest, continued 
prayers of everyone who comes sincerely trying to find the way. 

Some of us went abroad ; some of you remained here at home. David 
made it a law in Israel that they who remained at home and there faithfully 



28 HADLYME CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 150th ANNIVERSARY. 

performed their duties should have the same share in all spoils and benefits 
as those who went forth to battle. 

It is stated that nearly, perhaps quite every man or woman who has gone 
out from Hadlyme within the memory of those now living and has proved 
to be a good citizen in any other place, was trained up by godly parents, 
and attended church and Sunday .school while here. I believe this state- 
ment to be strictly true, for the subject has been looked into by careful 
people. And if this be true how can any parents afford to neglect to give 
their children as good a chance as those who have gone before gave their 
children ? No one can estimate too highly the value of a church. It helps 
more than anything else to educate a community in all that is good. It 
helps to educate in every-day literary^ knowledge more than people often 
believe. It promotes the very best kind of social life. It helps wonderfully 
toward the pecuniary prosperity of a community. If these statements 
seem extravagant to any of you, just go and find a community where no 
church exists; or one where the church is neglected, and there look about 
for yourselves. You will not need to look long to be convinced. And just 
so far as any man or woman in this or any other community neglects to help 
all his or her power to maintain the church, just so far he or she helps to 
ruin the place, because of the evil example which influences others to the 
same or even worse neglect and hindrance. I do not speak of opposition ; 
I only now speak of neglect as ruinous. Neglect to render help by those 
who have promised help is more disheartening and injurious usually than 
open opposition. 

We who have been abroad and have come here to-day thank ^-ou who 
have remained here these years, and have so faithfully cared for this Had- 
lyme church, and the many things which are connected with it and cluster 
around it. Many of you have rendered noble service ; several of you have 
for more than fifty years upheld the ark of God here to the very best of j'our 
ability ; sometimes almost alone ; sometimes criticised by those who could and 
should have helped you ; while you were saying of the church "ours," they 
were saying "theirs." There are godly men and women here who have 
borne the "burden and heat of the day," if anybody ever did. You enlisted 
for your whole life, not for a brief spurt now and then. 

Where else than here can a man be found who has carried the music of a 
church for fifty years, as Deacon Holmes has in this church ? Where else 
can be found more faithful, helping men and women, always at their posts, 
through evil report and good report ? May God bless every such man and 
woman, and may many more be inspired from on high to come to the help 
of the Lord. And so may this church grow and prosper for another cen- 
tury and a half. 



MADLYME CONGREGATIONAI. CHURCH, 1 50th ANNIVERSARY. 29 



LETTER FROM HENRY W. JONES. 

Claremon'i-, California, June iS, 1895. 
xMv dear Brethren and Sisters of the Hadlyme Church: 

Y<nn- kind invitation to be present and share in the ^-tunties of you: 
i5oth anniversary cannot be fully and literally accepted, but it ^vrll be and 
has already begun to be so in a sense and in part. It is daily recalling and 
freshening memories needing some such stimulus of a service now well 
back among the earlier ministries on your records. For on the hst of names 
of thos'who occupied that pulpit for a term not less than a year, mine does 
not fall at least on the hither side of the middle, and of living men it 1 
r.uSss tie farthest in the procession. I share with you the deep regret 
that whatever honor belongs to this position could not have fallen to Mi. 
Hmirrd! to whom it came so near, by whom your pulpit --^f J^ave been 
so worthily represented, and who would have entered so heartily into the 
spirit of the occasion. But he has been called to honors, to service, and to 
companionship, the thought of which may well substitute for regrets oui 

^^^:C^"S^rt::SS:nof that penod will be represented 
barely as to quantity ; fairly no doubt as to quality. I have so lost the trail 
of your Tater'histor/that I dare not undertake to write many names of such 
who will grace the feast. What Burnhams, Brockways, Comstocks, Ua>s 
Gateses leers, Holmes, Howells, Hungerfords, Luthers, Phelpses, Rose 
Selden ; WarnLrs, Whites, may be left over I cannot say but I can recall 
so man; of whose departure I have heard that the remainder must be few 
Tfe'r not enough to prevent my feeling lonesome if I were there and should 
fail to make myself interesting to the younger ones. 

Hadlyme is necessarily unique. Among the rules by which Lyman 
Beeche^s children deciphered his writing, one was that if a letter wa 
crosseditwasn'ta "f-.if aletterwas dotted it wasn't an "1." Somewha 
so if a stranger passing through Hadlyme sees anywhere a cluster of,, 
hou es he s'fnelr the church. A parish, not a village-in two towns, not 
on yliwo counties-its religious and geographical center m the middle; its 
commeicial and highway center at one side; society forbidden to separate 
by formidable natuill barriers; but on the other hand Pe-eated by a vig.1- 
ous church life that gives it unity and inspiration. But beyond all this- 
whichTs as t ue to-d!y as ever-the Hadlyme of that period was further 
L^queL characteristics that a stranger could not help remarking; impalpa- 
ble and difficult to describe; and that seemed to have mostly passed away 
before my last visit. Somewhat conversant as I had before and have since 
been aslavman and minister, with parishes not a few, that stands foremost 
for irongly marked peculiarities. In what other did a Richard E. Selden, 



30 HADLYME CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 150th ANNIVERSARY. 

an Ansel Hungerford and a Henry T. Comstock live and work together? 
I had reason to wonder if there ever was a more long-suffering people. 
What other ever kept a minister iive years and a half who exchanged on an 
average oftener than one Sunday out of three ? And yet that scheme may 
have been the secret of that permanence — that one Sunday, what made the 
others endurable. It was a pretty extensive parish for a minister without a 
horse, as I found out by usually walking it, and especially when I wanted 
to show my new wife to a neighbor minister four miles to the north, and 
walked five miles to borrow the horse Whatever I have forgotten, I 
remember .some of those distances. 

My residence in Hadlyme was coincident with the most momentous 
period of American history since the Revolutionary war. I arrived during 
the political campaign which resulted in the election of Abraham Lincoln. 
Soon after South Carolina passed her ordinance of secession, and, one by 
one, other states. Open war commenced the next April. Our rural com- 
munity had its share of excitement — hot discussion, enlistment, drafting. 
I suppose its pulpit delivered its share of loyal preaching and praying, its 
minister having long before imbibed abolitionism from such as Giddings, 
Corwin, Hale, Whittier, Sumner and Mrs. Stowe. He encountered proba- 
bly his share of obloquy therefor. One man reproached me for "preaching 
the ruin of the country." Another, after the second draft had left me out, 
tried to tell me how sorry he was that I failed of election. But on the 
whole, certainly by the people of my own congregation, even where they 
did not agree with me, I was treated with perfect courtesy, which made me 
as proud of them as grateful. At 4 o'clock one Saturday afternoon, it was 
April 15th, 1865, Mr. Belden, the mail carrier, handed me my paper as I met 
him opposite the school-hou.se and told me the startling news of the shoot- 
ing of President Lincoln and his death that morning. I returned to my 
study, took a new text, and made a night of it on a very different sermon 
from the one I had prepared for the next afternoon. The morning service 
became spontaneously a prayer and conference meeting, most solemn and 
tender. All former differences were forgotten in the universal sorrow. 
Rev. Mr. Loper was present and participated. The remarks of Esquire 
Selden I recall as peculiarly apt and pathetic. 

I owe it to my neighbor-ministers to speak of their self-denying coiirtesy, 
shown especially in their frequent exchanges to favor a young brother who 
came among them with broken-down health. Certainly not second among 
these was the gifted and honored Dr. Burr, who, alone of all remains, as I 
hope, to grace this annniversary occasion. Other cotemporaries were Rev. 
S. W. Robbins of East Haddam, with Father Parsons, his predecessor, in 
the pews; Rev. Messrs. B. B. Hopkinson at Middle Haddam; J. L. Wright 
at Haddam ; his brother, W. S. Wright at Chester, followed by E. R. 
Doolittle; H. Wickes at Deep River; J. A. Gallup at Essex; J. G. Baird at 
Centerbrook ; S. Loper at Westbrook ; J. D. Moore at Clinton ; S. McCall 
at Saybrook ; D. S. Brainard at Old Lyme, and A. Miller at Grassy Hill. 
But our nearest ecclesiastical neighbor was the Hadlyme Baptist church, 
whose pulpit and ours never bombarded each other, to mj^ knowledge, what- 
ever may have happened to certain principles on which they differed. But 



HADLYME CONG 



;rEGATIONAL CHURCH, I50th ANNIVERSARY. 31 



Whether it ^vas because that pulpit and people failed to hve up to the r pnn 
cipL -in not having water enough on hand-the rest of us neve: kne^^ . 
but somehow it fell out that one still night their little meetmg-house wa 
burned to ti^e ground. We could not but remember the sp.nts of self-denial 
and chrirtian love that had entered into the house and its worship and with 
aU our hearts sympathized with those who in its destruction had lost what 

"^^^^JZfyo^^ my long letter. I bless God for the pro.-idence that 
sent net 5^,5;^e; for the christian fellowship to which He there mti. 
duced me- for the opportunity He gave me to preach His word fo ^^ hat- 
ever heTp I may have been to any soul in making the way of salvation 
planer sinful piths seem more hazardous, a higher christian ivmg worthy 
'manho'd, womanhood, citizenship more noble and ^es-bl. May n^ 
mistakes and shortcomings there be overruled and forgiven. May He bless 
r church tni, as He so often has, with a worthier mimstry than mme, 
^d through his grace sustain it with alike e-est and^o^^^g^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
Sincerely yours, nr^iM j 



LETTER FROM HENRY M. VAILL. 

Staffordvili.e, June 24, 1895. 

Mv Dear Brother Holmes : . . , t 

I have refrained from writing you up to this date, late as it is, because I 
have clerished the hope that I might yet be able to be with you on the com- 
ing '67^ but I now feel that my infirmities must make me yield to the mev- 
itable thoua-h it cause me great disappointment. 

I have a distinct rememberance of the old parish of Hadlyme sixty-hve 
years Igo the roads leading to the old church, the ancient dwelhngs, tha 
Itood afong the line of those highways; and the faces of the people who 
vere the fnmates of those homes-the Hungerfords, the Spencers, the 
Holmes the Comstocks, the Seldens and the Warners, are all fresh m my 
^°nds eye. And the unpainted, towerless meeting-house with its wide 
Eastern southern and western doorways that opened by those rows of 
::ilrTpews, and led us to the high, unvarnished pulpit, w^- ^^ -- 
than fifty years my grandfather held forth the word of life, ^ith the clear 
ness of a sunbeam these things are written on my memoiy. And then it 
was my grandfather who lifted up his strong bass and musical voice like a 
rumpet Ind for more than five times ten years, gave his two written ser- 
moTevery Sabbath. Oh, shall I forget that venerable P--^^ -;f; -- 
iJnued the pastor and senior pastor of your church during a period o fifty- 
nine vears and who held such an honored place among the mmisteis of 
ConnScut " You and I, dear Brother Holmes, both hold m remember- 



32 HADLYME CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 150th ANNIVERSARY. 

ance this godly man, and though you are somewhat my junior, j^et we were 
children together, and it is a pleasure to me to speak to j-ou of these sweet 
memories of other days. 

Would that I could be with you on this 150th birthday of the old church, 
that I might re\new ^^•ith you and your people the many pleasant things in 
my own brief ministry in Hadlyme, and to call to mind still further the 
days of old, and the years of many generations. May your church still 
hold a large place in the hearts of the people of Hadlyme, and may your 
pastor and people continually receive the dews of heavenly grace. 

Faithfully yours, ' HENRY M. VAILL. 



LETTER OF HENRY E. HART. 

Franklin, Conn., June 24, 1895. 

To the Church and Congregation of Hadlyme, at their 150th anniver- 
sary-, July 26, 1895: 

Dear People — ^ly ministrj- to 3-our church began July 7, 1878, and ended 
April 24, 18S1. The young people's meeting was a Y. P. S. C. E. before 
the days of Christian Endeavor societies. 

We had praise meetings on some Sunday evenings in which with scanty 
song we made ourselves familiar with the origin and history of noted h^^mns. 
Our prayer-meetings were well attended and gained in interest. 

The men of the Y. M. C. A. came to us in November, 1879. They did 
good work and six were added to the church at the January Communion, 
1880. Among them Phebe Holmes of sainted memory, who passed away 
all too soon for the comfort of the many who loved her. Eight had been 
added before and one after. 

During my stay the people showed great diligence in keeping the 
church in repair. They decorated it for Christmas. We had a good sex- 
ton. Joseph Dowley lectured on Temperance. The group meetings of 
that time were vigorous and zealously attended. 

These are mere points in our history, but like the tops of mountains seen 
above the mist they represent a solid body of christian living and thinking 
underneath. I should certainly be with you if it were not for a previous 
engagement. Some of mj' family would probably go over to you if they 
were well enough. But advancing j^ears bring various disabilities, and we 
are more nimble at sixteen than sixty. 

You have the trouble which all the country churches have to contend with, 
viz., decreasing numbers. Still, as departing friends make those remaining 
draw closer together about the winter fire, so we who are left must be more 
close in our sympathy, and think of Christ and His church more than of our 
own special comfort. 



HADLYME CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 150th ANNIVERSARY. 33 

These anniversaries have their painful aspect because some, very much 
beloved and ver}- useful, have been transplanted to a better world. Dea. 
Spencer was a useful deacon and an intelligent man. Mrs. Mather, after 
many and sore trials, entered the "happy harbor of God's saints." From 
her I learned to love Whittier's Poems. Miss Phebe E. Holmes, most 
sweet and loveable, prized the things of her Redeemer above all else. 
Several times she spoke of the good certain sermons did her. I felt that 
her words were sincere, and was sincere praise, and I prized it. 

I find it difficult to say the right thing because I know so little about ^-our 
present circumstances I do not know whether you have a preacher or not, 
nor who has taken the toil of preparing the historical discourse. I do not 
know how many remain. Public reports say something, if people hold still 
long enough to let a thing be true now that was true six months ago. We 
might do better if we would. 

Yours in Christian Fellowship, HENRY E. HART. 



JUDGE GEORGE M. CARRIXGTON, 

Now OF ^VINSTED, 

Being in\'ited to speak in the place of Rev. F. P. Waters, who was 
not present, produced two sermons written by his father while pastor of the 
church ; one in short-hand ;. one in long-hand ; one preached in the old meet- 
ing-house and one in the present edifice. He then spoke in substance as 
follows : 

I regret your disappointment in not hearing from the one who is on the 
programme, and, not ha\4ng notice of this call, I have no intimation what 
I am desired to speak upon ; but I presume reference to the former times is 
in order to-day from anj' one. I have hard!}- felt myself an old man, but 
I to-day call to mind reading some years ago a sermon by Dr. Chese- 
brough which purported to be preached to himself when he was 70 years old. 
In it he said that when he was 62, a young and fervent Methodist brother 
occupied his pulpit one day and prayed earnestly for the aged, "ueiierable 
man who was the pastor of the church. Although not feeling especially 
venerable, I was once reminded that I was growing old, and I think I will 
tell you about it. In doing so I shall call to mind the first sentence of a 
sermon now in my possession, written by a former pastor of this church on 
some one of the parables, which runs thus: "Knowledge is most aptly 
conveyed by illustration." Indeed, I shall have to give j-ou two illustra- 
tions, one prelim inarj-: 

In 18S7 my wife went to the fiftieth anniversary of Mount Holyoke Semi- 
narj'^ and there listened to an address by one of her classmates. Having 
once met the lady I felt an interest to read her effort when it was published. 
In giving reminiscences of her school-life she spoke of the time when she 
first entered the Seminary, leaving the depot and crossing the Connecticut 
river on a ferry boat and riding up to the school, about as far as we have 
had to ride to-day. In the wagon were several members of the senior 
class, and she stated that .she was greatly impressed \\-ith their dignitv. 



34 HADLYME CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 150th ANNIVERSARY. 

Indeed she had not since seen its equal, althongh she had seen kings, 
queens, presidents, justices of tlie peace, hotel clerks and church ushers. 

Now I am prepared to give you the second part of my illustration: 
Last September, being in the first half of my fifty-ninth year, the town 
clerk, whose office is next to my own, was one day away, and I, as assist- 
ant town clerk, was called upon by a young gentleman from a Connecticut 
city to give him a marriage license. He gave me the required particulars 
and I found he was 24 years old and a hotel clerk. I think I regarded him 
with a little more awe after I learned that ; and when I finished the docu- 
ment and passed it over to him, I said (as I am apt to, Mr. President, when 
I want to put it strong) that I hoped his married life would be as happy as 
mine, to which he replied: "I hope it will, and I hope I shall live as long 
and shall be as well preserved!" I think this deliverance from so dignified 
an authority will make it plain to you that I have a right to speak as one of 
the elders. 

It is a great pleasure to my sister and myself, at the cost of some effort, 
to be with you to-day and listen to the intensely interesting story of the 
forenoon, and participate in these other exercises. As to the titles of Rev- 
erend, Doctor, Judge, and the like, they fade as one comes up to them, 
(don't they, Judge ?) 

■ A year ago last October I sat by the side of Mr. Lewis and listened to a 
sermon. The first sentence of it was: "Williams College is a hundred years 
old to-day, and it is as young as ever." The same is true of this church. 
When it was first formed the average age of its membership was about the 
same as it was at its semi-centennial, at its centennial, and to-day. When 
the figures for the next jubilee celebration .shall be fashioned the same will 
still be true. 

There is no place like Hadlyme. Here I drew my first breath. Not only 
were my earliest and most abiding impressions here received, but it is 
especially dear to me as the place where all the mari'ied life of my parents 
was spent, except the last six months, when they were far away from 
each other. Its land, its houses, its people, have and always will have a 
place in my mind different from that of any others. What house can ever 
be like the old minister's over yonder ? What hill like the one west of the 
old parsonage ? When I hear of the name Brockway or Comstock, or 
Day or Holmes, or Hungerford, or Selden, or Spencer, or Willey, or others 
here flourishing, I always feel that the gettitme stock of that name dwells 
in Hadlyme. There may be others elsewhere, but, really, the best ones are 
at Hadlyme! Recollections of residence here are of course confined to a 
few years, for the night before I was seven years old the family went up to 
The Landing, (you know, Mr. President, that while the steamboat stops 
all along the river, there is really but one place properly called The Land- 
ing). We took the boat at midnight or after, and the next day parted for 
the rest of our earthly lives. It has, however, been my privilege to keep 
fresh my acquaintance with some of Hadlyme people by more or less fre- 
quent visits, and among them I count some of my best friends. I heartily 
congratulate you on the coming of this anniversary. The strugges of the 
pioneers and their successors is a good story. From the beginning it has 



HADLYME CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 150th ANNIVERSARY. 35 

been one of earnestness. Serious obstacles have had to be overcome ; things 
have not always gone smooth; sometimes the pendulum has seemed to 
swing the wrong way, but ere long it has swnng the other way. 

What of the future ? The church has lived, it does live, and I have faith 
to believe it will live. This edifice gives no signs of age. The outside of 
it and the inside of it are as fresh, as neat, as tasty as if just from the build- 
er's hands. I was delighted some years ago to learn that Mr. William Hun- 
gerford had left a legacy of a thousand dollars to the church in Hadlyme. 
I hope he'll not be the last Hungerf ord that will do that ; I hope others will 
do it. I learn that another legacy is on its way to the church; may the day 
be distant when it shall be received. No bequests are better placed than 
these. They greatly help to secure the pemianency of the preaching of the 
gospel here. The church is needed; needed here. There is no other 
within four miles or more. It has been of incalculable value to the life of 
this place. It has helped to fashion the lives of many who have gone to 
other places and have been a power for good there. The memories of those 
who leave the church home of their earlier years are very precious, and in 
time comes a return of the enchantment which distance lends to the view. 

Ah ! here is the bass viol ! Almost my only recollection of the old church 
building is seeing Oliver Comstock play that instrument at the Sunday 
school sessions. I had an intense interest in it, and would crowd out of the 
pew door and strain my neck to get a sight of him as he would draw 
his bow back and forth across the strings and "pung," "pung" (as I trans- 
lated the music it made), while to my four-year-old mind it seemed, if I had 
been able to put it into words, that his performance was really necessary to 
a proper carrying on of the worship of God in the sanctuary. 

Yesterday when I was coming down the valley on the cars we encoun- 
tered a shower at Rocky Hill. It raged with violence for a time and gave 
the earth a most needed refreshing. Its intensity began to slacken at Mid- 
dletown, and as we rode along it became less and less, and stopped in a few 
minutes. The fields and the forests took on a fresh and most beautiful 
green. "The peaceful river flowing gently by" with its broad, ever delight- 
ful surface that we do not tire of looking on ; the dark clouds with patches 
of blue fonning a back-ground ; the sun shining out here and there, and 
over the river, southeasterly, spanning Hadlyme, the beautiful bow, frag- 
mentary at first, and afterwards a perfect arch, presented to me, as I 
thought where and wli}- I was going, a picture of beauty, and hope, and 
promise. 



ADDRESS OF REV. E. E. LEWIS OF HADDAM. 

Mr. Chairman and People of Hadlyme: 

First of all I bring you most gladly and with a warm personal 
response to the call and opportunity, the cordial greetings of the old First 
Church of Haddam. 



36 HADLYME CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 150th ANNIVERSARY. 

It was during my academical and college days that my dear friend, 
Mr. Carrington, who has just addressed you with such tender and affection- 
ate remembrance for this, his birthplace and early home, first taught me 
to think kindly of Hadlyme as the place where his honored father preached 
the gospel of God's love, and to which blessed service his own life was 
consecrated, till, to our sorrow, he was compelled through ill-health to aban- 
don his long-cherished hope. I was glad to listen to his testimony. He 
spoke from the heart, and 1 am confident to the heart of every friend of 
this church. 

Moreover, these many pleasant years of my pastorate, both by exchanges 
with your pastors and by personal acquaintance with many of you, have 
greatly endeared me to this people. Then, too, your name makes a claim 
upon my greeting. Half of it, and the first half too, is from Haddam. 
Your history has in it a prophesy of unbroken continuance and useful- 
ness. This, at least is true, that the First Church of Haddam, venerable 
with years, where the gospel has been regularly preached since i66S, and 
in connection with its daughter, first born the First Church of East Haddam 
on the hill above, which was organized in 1704, extends to j'ou as her 
grand-half-daughter the hand of congratulation for 1745 to 1895. We 
rejoice in your history. We are glad that you celebrate its third jubilee. 
Receive our jubilant greetings. 

Your committee said in response to my inquiry that a few words in the 
line of the sentiment I have just expressed would be appropriate and 
welcome. And, truly, I believe that we ought to mark these anniversaries 
with a grateful enthusiasm of recollection and prophetic anticipations for the 
future. 

We owe it in the first place to the memory of the noble men and women 
who laid the foundations of our New England heritage. They were per- 
sons of high resolves. They honored in their lives the eternal principles of 
truth and righteousness. 

I li.stened with thrilling attention to the very full and deeply interesting 
historical paper of the morning; and my conviction was further intensified 
as I followed the biographical sketches given by our chairman. These 
names should not be allowed to pass into oblivion. These records are replete 
to us with the aspiration and devotion of former days. I shall never forget 
the story of that "boy in the gallery, of 1845," given to us just now by that 
same boy, than whom few deacons are more worthy to be remembered and 
honored and imitated. If another half-centur}^ of your history shall give 
to the church and to the world other Hungerfords, and Carringtons, and 
Willeys to stand here fifty years from to-day and testify to the grace and 
goodness of God, as these have done, this church will not have lived for 
naught. 

Then again we owe a debt of grateful remembrance and of record to the 
work of the fathers. Their characters are lustrous. But they also laid 
broad and strong the foundations of social welfare. As with our great 
modern bridges, the engineers are not satisfied unless the supporting piers 
reach down in the earth to solid rock; so our fathers founded the churches 
of their order on the immovable granite of the Scriptures. They loved and 
reverenced the Bible. They gloried in its doctrines. These old Bibles lying 
before us, and from which we have read to-day, by their strong bindings 
and their well-worn appearance, are loyal witnesses to the faith of the 
fathers. Their mottoes read : No town Avithout a church, no church with- 
out an educated minister, no week without its sacred day sacredly kept, no 
Lord's day without its regular and universal observance of religious wor- 
ship. We rightly glory in the results of their work. 

We are also under lasting obligation to celebrate and cherish the spirit 
of their lives and services. They entertained noble ideals. Their motives 
soared towards the skies. Thej^ had faults and their work lacked perfec- 
tion. But it is of the spirit of their service and sacrifice that I speak with 
enthusiastic approval. In this respect they are worthj^ of the highest com- 



HADLYME CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 150th ANNIVERSARY 37 

mendation. I noticed last evening that at the time this church was organ- 
ized in 1745, Rev. Aaron Cleveland, then a young man of excellent prom- 
ise, 'an earnest preacher, fully in sympathy with the revival movement 
under Whitetield, and a man of great courage and faithfulness (from whom, 
by the way in the fourth generation. President Cleveland is descended) was 
the pastor at Haddam. The next year, owing chiefly to the financial 
troubles of that period, alluded to this morning, he was constramed to 
resign. His letter to the society gives an excellent clue to the spmt of the 
man and of the times. He thinks "it is best to leave contention before it is 
meddled with;" he "expects to endure hardships;" he "desires to count all 
things loss for' Christ that I may win some, which, being my great business 
in the world, I desire carefully to look to." , ■ , i i. 

It was this spirit of devotion, of sacrifice and endurance, which made the 
winning of souls to Christ the "great business in the world" that actuated 
the fathers in founding churches and establishing schools m the face of 
seemingly insurmountable obstacles. 

On this anniversary so auspiciously begun and conducted you pay a loving 
and loyal tribute to the memory of the founders and builders of this church, 
to their many virtues and their heroic sacrifices, and pledge to the future 
the service of the same spirit of consecration and fidelity. May the God of 
our fathers bless you evermore. 



ADDRESS OF REV. E. F. BURR, D. D. OF HAMBURGH. 

"Hitherto has the Lord helped us." " Bv the help of God we continue 
unto this day." This is very fitting language for a church celebrating its 
isoth anniversary. It is after the manner of the Connecticut fathers, who, 
when wanting a seal for the state, put in it three vines and wrote under 
them: ''Qui Transtulit Sustinetr .... 

The old Romans had an idol with two faces looking m opposite direc- 
tions They called him Bifrons Janus. We have no such idol; but we 
ourselves are double-faced, facing both the past and the future. By our 
constitution we are both prospective and retrospective. And we find it 
advantageous not to say necessary, to look forward on the years that are 
ccmiing and also backward on the years that are going. And why may not 
a christian church find a profit in the same sort of double-dealing. 

A man sometimes writes his own biography. Perhaps he is at raid that it 
will not be written at all unless he does it. Perhaps he is afraid that no 
other person will write it as w^ell ; that his literary executors may lack the 
faculty or the knowledge, or the disposition to do him justice. So, to make 
all sure he becomes an autobiographer. He tells his own story. And why 
niav not a christian church, for like reasons, tell the story of its own corpo- 
rate life or at least see to it that it is told in a way to suit the facts and 
itself ' And this is what a church really does when, after the lapse ot one 
hundred and fifty years, it sets a day and invites neighboring churches to 
join it in an act of commemoration and celebration. It is really making an 

autobiograph^^ „ , •, -, j ^^i. ^ a 

Well every true church of Christ of one hundred and fifty years stand- 
ing deserves an autobiography. It has had perplexities and perils helps 
and hindrances, successes and failures, well worth remembering and hand- 
ing down. By all means let it dredge its past and bring to land all its 

instructive experiences, , • ^- -u t, if u 

I feel bound to have a great regard to every true christian church. It it 
were possible I would do for it what the mother of Achilles is said to have 
tried to do for her son— to make him invulnerable— twice over ; fii-st by dip- 
pine him in a certain river and then by casing him in impenetrable armor 
Unluckily she omitted in both cases to protect his heel— an omission 1 would 
be careful not to copy. 



38 HADLYME CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 150th ANNIVERSARY, 

Further, if it were possible, I would discover for every true church of 
Christ what the discoverer of this new world so long and eagerly sought 
but never found — the fountain of perpetual youth. I would not have any 
church, however old, cease to be young and full of vitality and eflficiency. 

Further still, if it were possible, I would compound and give to ever true 
church of Christ what the old alchemists among their crucibles and tires 
so long and vainly toiled to make— the Elixir of Life. No true church 
should ever die out and leave behind it nothing but a tombstone — perhaps 
not even that. 

And, more than all, if it were possible, I would not only defend every 
church from death and senility and wounds of every sort, but I would cause 
it to flourish as a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon — would make 
it become larger, stronger, fairer, brigher from year to year; would make 
it resemble some river that goes sweeping on to the sea in ever increasing 
volume, gathering contributions from all sides, making its way with ever- 
broadening and deepening waters through landscapes of ever increasing 
charm and fruitfulness into the ocean. 

"If it were possible!" But, alas, it is not possible. In no way known to 
us can we make all churches invulnerable, undeclining, immortal, ever- 
growing. Our best wishes and praj-ers for them do not always take effect. 
Sometimes their strength lessens as their years increase. Sometimes they 
quite die out and become mere shadows and memories. Where are the 
seven churches of Asia ? Not a few deserted sanctuaries in our own land 
mean extinct churches. Emigrations, intestine divisions, spiritual droughts, 
lapses from the faith once delivered to the saints, shiftings of business 
centers ; all have been concerned in extinguishing churches. The general 
Church of Christ is warranted to stand everything. It is bound to live 
despite all assaults and wounds — is even bound to go from strength to 
strength, though with many set-backs, till it takes possession of the whole 
world. But the prosperity, or even life, of the local church is not assured. 
It depends on a variety of things, partly in its own hands, and partly not. 

So many are the enemies, visible and invisible, of churches that a church 
finding itself alive at the end of a century and a half from its birth may 
well be congratulated. Accordingly we congratulate j'^?/. You have sur- 
vived many perils and some wounds. I do not know, at least as well as you 
do, what difficulties you have had to surmount, what crises you have had to 
pass through, what gauntlets you have had to run ; but I know you inust 
have had them. I congratulate you on having survived them all. They 
might have destroyed you. Hadlyme to-day might have been religiously a 
waste howling wilderness. I congratulate you that it is not so. The gates 
of hell have not prevailed against you. The flood that the great dragon is 
ever casting out of his mouth against the woman, has not swept you away. 
LTnbelief has not assassinated you. Back.slidings have not carried you away 
beyond Babylon. Spiritual droughts have not left you a dry tree, twice 
dead and plucked up by the roots. Spiritual malaries have not enfeebled 
you and at last left you breathless. The Sunday newspapers and watering- 
places have not brought you down into the dust of death. The fire and 
sword of uncircumcised speculation have not swept you away. The Philis- 
tines of worldliness and mammon have not caught you and blinded you 
and set you to hard labor, and at last made you to pull down the house on 
your own heads and theirs. Yours is not a lost cause. You have weathered 
the storms, and, what perhaps is more, the calms of one hundred and 
fifty years. Again I congratulate you on being a survivor ; and that we 
come to-day, not to bury you, nor to decorate your grave with flowers and 
perhaps a lying monument, nor to turn up with our spades some bits of 
your bones from some fifty feet below the surface, to gratify antiquaries 
and prove to skeptics that our Homers are reliable and that your Troy once 
existed, but to felicitate you on being still alive, despite the perils of one 
hundred and fifty years. 



HADLYME CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 150th ANNIVERSARY. 39 

We felicitate you and thank God. Except the Lord had kept the city the 
watchman waketh in vain. He who brought our three vines out of Egypt 
and planted them, and multiplied them, is still their sustainer. May he 
sustain and prosper this vine, etc., as long as the Connecticut finds its way 
to the sound and these templed hills about your Jerusalem look down on 
homes— and longer; for sometimes I am afraid that the goodly river will 
dry up and the goodly hills will wear down some day. So I will mend my 
wish, and say, ^iiay you flourish as long as the sun and moon endure 
thoughout all generations. 



ADDRESS OF REV. ALEX HALL OF CHESTER. 

I am requested to close this holy festival by "gathering up the fragments 
that nothino- be lost." I think the disciples must have looked with rever- 
ence on the'^blessed fragments of "the loaves and fishes," and gathered 
them with religious care. But, I think this feast has been just as 
rich and holy, and the fragments are just as precious and sacred. As these 
years have passed in review, to-day, we have been in fellowship with choice 
spirits, "the elect of God," no doubt, and in communion with the truths 
and affairs that most deeply interest and affect mankind. The warm and 
brotherly address of welcome ; the most able and valuable historical address ; 
the reminiscences and biographies of pastors, and other godly men ; these 
words of personal experience, and remembrance, and counsel, and congrat- 
ulation • and these ancient hymns, as grand and enduring as these New 
England hills that have echoed them so long; all this has lifted us up well 
toward "the third heaven," and left no human or religious emotion unaf- 
fected. 

But,' what are the fruits of these one hundred and fifty years ? We have 
not been witnessing a plav, to-day, in which the scenes were imaginary and 
the characters unreal ; for, there were never more strong and noble men, 
and no lives that gave more promise of good fruits. 

I think we may believe that 500 men and women have passed up from 
this church to heaven ; 573, in all, have joined this church, and 84 remain 
as members. The books below and above may not exactly agree ; but the 
healthful influence of a church is not limited to its membership, and our 
estimate must be within the truth. This number is not comparatively 
great ; but, the work is great in reality, and in the eyes of the angels to 
whom' "there is joy over one sinner that repenteth." If this church has 
borne no other fruit, this would a hundred times repay all the toil, and 
sacrifice, and prayer of these past years. Besides, this church has stood 
to shed light and offer hope and many kindly ministries,, to hundreds whose 
names are not on its roll of members". Many who have treated this church 
with neglect, while in health and bnsy in worldly affairs and pleasures, 
have turned penitently to this source of consolation and hope when pain 
and darkness came on, and their feet began to "stumble on the dark- moun- 
tains." The fruit of the gospel is not all gathered from before the pulpit, but 
some from the highways, and some from homes that never acknowledge 
God till thev seek him in the day of trouble. 

This church has also borne fruit in the gift of good men and women, and 
generous offerings of money, to Christ and His kingdom. Neither the 
church, nor the world, nor both of them combined, can produce anything 
greater than a man or a woman ; and such have gone forth from this church 
to make their radiant pathway through the world, and to draw many with 
them to the skies, And .still they are going forth, and the generous gifts of 
those who remain follow them when the givers cannot. These are tame 
words, I know; any words would be too tame, to express the value of 
these half-divine gifts to Christ, and the nations and generations. 



40 HADLYME CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 150th ANNIVERSARY. 

But, we ought to close this day with our faces to the future. We have 
been in fellowship with noble men and women to-day ; but, nobler genera- 
tions are waiting and struggling to be born ; and deeds of heroism, and 
lives of patient faith, and fruitful toil, that shall make the past seem as only 
a primary state of preparation. 

The grandest prophecies are not yet fulfilled. The best work has not 
yet been done. The best plans have not yet been discovered. The best 
men have not yet been born. None but God and the prophets have seen 
the Golden Age of the church and the world: and our standard and inspira- 
tion should not be what the fathers did, but what remains to be done. We 
may enjoy the fruits of our fathers' labors, but we must not rest on their 
laurels. We are not here to-day, as on an old battle-field, to recall the 
heroism of the dead, and honor them with eulogy and monuments. The 
battle is still raging, here and everywhere, and we are here to encourage 
those who are continuing the struggle their fathers began so well, and to 
gain new strength and courage oiu'selves. 

Here are the young people. We must not forget them to-day, for all 
these sacred memories, and fovmdations, and possibilities, and responsibili- 
ties, are to be left with them. Whether the fathers lived, in any measure, 
in vain, depends, in a measure, on the manner of their life. They have a 
rich inheritance ; and one that is as easily squandered as the property of 
their fathers, and as capable of large use and increase. And then, the mod- 
ern openings and in\ntations to the young to enter on habits of christian 
activity; and the uniting of churches, hitherto isolated and without sym- 
path3^ with all others in state and national fellowship ; all these things 
open to the young people a door of large opportunity and hope, and they 
seem to be entering in with commendable zeal. 

The saints of fuller years and riper experience, also, should arise and 
gird themselves for greater deeds of devotion to this church, and the church 
universal, than those we recall to-day. We have every reason for the bright- 
est hopes and most ardent zeal in the .service of Christ and his church. 

The Endeavor Society is a movement of great significance. Women are 
entering into fields of useful service that men have long claimed, but too 
much neglected. [Vide Isa. 68: ii. Revised.] 

Electricity is changing all our modes of communication, and annihilating 
distance, and quickening our life in every part. 

Our people are fast gathering into cities and \nllages, and all the condi- 
tions seem to be preparing for an era of brotherly love, or for the reign of 
most intense hatred and consuming strife. Without question, a great 
industrial, social, and religious crisis is at the door; a time that shall com- 
pel everyone to take an open stand with the friends or enemies of God, and 
allow no indifference, or in.sincerity, or double-mmd, or duplicity of life. 
And we, who believe in God, and know that sin destroys, and righteous- 
ness builds and quickens, cannot doubt what the issue will be. That is to 
be the most important, and complicated, and decisive struggle the world 
has known, involving in this country all classes and interests and nationali- 
ties, for emigration and civilization have reached their western limit, and 
all the questions that have agitated the eastern nations are being trans- 
ferred to our country for their final settlement. 

Then, let us gather all the faith and strength we can from the past, and 
all the power we can "from on high," and let us put everything into this 
final, decisive struggle till we see the Church triumphant in the earth, and 
we go to join those who "shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, 
and as the stars, forever and ever." 



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